Time:2025-01-06

To better promote exchange and cooperation among students and scholars in the health sociology and to advance the construction and development of the discipline, the School of Sociology at Beijing Normal University hosted the 2024 Health Sociology Graduate Forum on December 29, 2024. The forum, themed “Health Sociology: Integration and Development from a Multidisciplinary Perspective,” moved forward the advancement of health sociology as a discipline, and explore how theoretical innovation and policy practice can effectively enhance individuals’ health and promote Healthy China. Prior to the forum, academic works were solicited from universities both in China and abroad, and nearly 300 submissions were received from undergraduate and graduate students as well as relevant staff from about 120 universities and institutions, including Beijing Normal University, Peking University, Renmin University of China, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, Nanjing University, Sun Yat-sen University, the University of Michigan in the United States, University Sains Malaysia, and Technical University of Munich. On the day of the forum, A number of distinguished experts, scholars, and young academics from renowned Chinese universities convened to exchange insights and present the latest developments in their areas of research. Over 200 participants attended the forum either online or offline.

On the morning of December 29th, the opening ceremony of the forum was held.First, Prof. Qu Zhiyong, Dean of the School of Sociology, delivered the opening speech at the ceremony. He noted that the School of Sociology places great emphasis on the development of health sociology as an academic discipline. The School actively encourages faculty and students to engage in research in this field, with the aim of providing theoretical foundations and practical guidance for health policy formulation, the optimization of health services, and the promotion of public health awareness.In the future, the School will continue to enhance connections with scholars and students in the field of health sociology through the forum as a platform for exchange and cooperation, and jointly promote the construction and development of the discipline of health sociology, contributing wisdom and strength to promote Healthy China.

 

The opening ceremony and keynote speech session were presided over by Prof. Zhang Weijun of the School of Sociology of Beijing Normal University. In the keynote speech session, Prof. Song Xinming of the Institute of Population Research of Peking University delivered a speech entitled “Health Function among Older Adults and Home-based Elderly Care Services”. He introduced the characteristics and situation of China’s aging population, evaluated the health status of the elderly in China from the perspectives of disease indicators and functional indicators, and emphasized the value and significance of promoting the home- and community-based elderly care system with the goal of improving intrinsic capacity.

 

Prof. Song delivered a speech

 

Prof. Liu Junqiang from the School of Social Sciences of Peking University delivered an online speech entitled “Multidimensional Perspectives on Doctor-Patient Relationship”, and conducted a discussion on medical errors and patient safety in Chinese hospitals. He pointed out that hospital departments should implement tailored prevention strategies in response to the distinct types of errors they encounter, thereby enhancing patient safety and minimizing the risk of medical disputes.

 

Prof. Liu delivered a speech

 

Prof. Hu Hongwei from the School of Public Administration of Renmin University of China delivered a speech entitled “Integrated Care and the Trajectory of Disability in the Elderly: Theory and Practice”. Prof. Hu provided a detailed introduction to the theory of the disablement process and its evolving trends. From the four dimensions of perspective, theory, methodology, and value, he outlined concrete pathways for contributing a Chinese scholarly voice to the theoretical framework of the disablement process. He also shared the latest domestic and international research findings on integrated care and trajectories of functional decline among older adults, and emphasized the need to optimize public policies and service systems related to integrated care.

Prof. Hu delivered a speech

 

Dr. Gao Jiamin at the School of Sociology of Beijing Normal University gave a speech entitled “Information Framework, Subsidy Preference and Willingness to Use Hearing Health Care Services for the Elderly with Hearing Impairment in Rural Areas”.

After the speech, the audience actively asked questions and had knowledge exchanges with the speakers.

 

Audience Q&A session

Six sub-forums were held on the afternoon of December 29, taking place respectively in the North Main Building at the Beijing campus and the Lijiao Building at the Zhuhai campus. These sub-forums featured presentations by young scholars and graduate students.

 

The sub-forum “Theory and Methodology of Health Sociology” was chaired by Dr. Sa Zhihong, associate professor of the School of Sociology. Dr. Li Long, associate professor of the School of Population and Health, Renmin University of China gave a speech entitled “Internet Use, Subjective Age, and Mental Health among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in China: Pressured versus Voluntary Internet Use”. Ten young scholars from Peking University, Beijing Normal University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Central University of Finance and Economics, and East China University of Science and Technology respectively made academic presentations.

 

Dr. Li Long delivered a speech

 

The sub-forum on "Children, Adolescents, and Family Health" was chaired by Dr. Chen Chen, a postdoctoral researcher at the School of Sociology. Dr. Tang Xinfeng from the Department of Psychology at Renmin University of China and Dr. Li Jina from the School of Sociology at Beijing Normal University served as commentators.Dr. Tang delivered a presentation titled "From Social Norms to Social Anxiety: Measurement of Fear of Deviating from Social Norms and Its Implications for Intervention" as the featured talk by a young scholar. Ten young scholars from institutions including Fudan University, Zhejiang University, and Zhengzhou University also shared their academic research during the session.

 

Dr. Tang delivered a speech

 

The sub-forum on “Aging, Health, and Coping” was chaired by Dr. Gao Jiamin from the School of Sociology. Dr. Luo Yanan, Associate Research Fellow in the Department of Global Health at the School of Public Health, Peking University, served as the discussant and delivered a keynote presentation titled "The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Evidence and Intervention Approaches." Ten young scholars from various universities—including Renmin University of China, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Inner Mongolia University, and China Women’s University—participated in the session and presented their research findings.

Dr. Luo delivered a speech

 

The sub-forum on "Medical Sociology" was chaired by Prof. Zhang Weijun from the School of Sociology. Dr. Zhu He, Associate Research Fellow at the China Center for Health Development Studies, Peking University, served as the discussant and delivered a keynote presentation titled “Enhancing Graduate Research Capacity in the Context of Interdisciplinary Health Studies.”Ten young scholars from institutions including Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Minzu University of China, Central China Normal University, Shenzhen University, and Lanzhou University presented and discussed their research during the session.

Dr. Zhu delivered a speech

 

The sub-forum on "Social Work for the Health of Children, Adolescents, and Families" was chaired by Associate Professor Liang Yue from the School of Sociology. Associate Professor Tang Tan from the School of Ethnology and Sociology at Yunnan University served as the discussant and delivered a keynote presentation titled “The Application of Multisystemic Family Therapy in Families of Juvenile Offenders.” Ten young scholars from institutions including Beijing Normal University, Sun Yat-sen University, Jinan University, and Hunan Normal University presented and shared their academic research during the session.

Dr. Tang Tan delivered a speech

 

The sub-forum on “Health Intervention and Promotion from Interdisciplinary Perspectives” was chaired by Associate Research Fellow Weng Xue. Dr. Peng Zhenhui, Assistant Professor at the School of Artificial Intelligence, Sun Yat-sen University, served as the discussant and delivered a keynote presentation titled “Intelligent Peers: Understanding and Enhancing Peer Support in Online Mental Health Communities.” Ten young scholars from institutions including Beijing Normal University, Hohai University, Fujian Medical University, Guangxi Normal University, and Dongguan University of Technology shared their academic work during the session.

 

Dr. Peng delivered a speech

 

Each sub-forum selected one First Prize paper, two Second Prize papers, three Third Prize papers, and four Outstanding Papers. The award-winning papers were announced by the young scholars and session chairs, who also presented certificates to the recipients.

 

This forum brought together experts and young scholars from diverse universities and disciplinary backgrounds, providing a valuable platform for academic exchange and collaboration in the field of health sociology. It contributed meaningfully to the development and advancement of health sociology as a discipline.