Perceived educational value of sociology among undergraduate allied health sciences students in Chennai

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to assess the perceived usefulness of the sociology course among undergraduate Allied Health Sciences (AHS) students in Chennai, India.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 240 undergraduate AHS students who were in their third and fourth years at a medical college and hospital in Chennai. The Perceived Usefulness of Sociology Course (PUSC) scale was developed and validated by the investigator and administered using Google Form. In addition, a 10-point numerical rating scale was used to assess the overall satisfaction with the sociology course.

Results

Among the 240 students, 62% were female students and 54% were studying in fourth-year. The mean score for the PUSC was 57.49 ± 9.15 and ranged from 15 to 75. Overall, 62% of the students had a high level of perceived usefulness of the sociology course. No significant differences were observed in gender and year of study. One hundred and twenty-three (51%) students rated their satisfaction with the course as high, highlighting its perceived effectiveness in meeting learning objectives in the Allied Health Sciences curriculum.

Conclusions

The study showed that undergraduate AHS students had a positive perception of the sociology course, recognising its value. They valued its role in understanding the applied social determinants of health and improving patient interactions.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-09909-x.

Introduction

The Allied Health Sciences (AHS) programme is designed to train students for careers in healthcare disciplines that provide support for medical diagnostic, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services and support the implementation of any healthcare treatment [1]. This programme includes Medical Laboratory Technology, Radiology and Imaging Technology, Respiratory Therapy, Cardiac Technology, Anaesthesia Technology, and other related health professions. Social science has a long history in public health, with roots in nineteenth-century debates on social medicine. The field has evolved to focus on chronic disease and the impact of social determinants on health outcomes. Recent advancements emphasised promoting individual health and analysing public health policies on a broader scale [2]. In modern healthcare education, a multidisciplinary approach is essential to train professionals who can address the complex social determinants of health [3–5]. Social determinants of health are one of the most influential sociological perspectives in the field of public health.

The American Sociological Association (ASA) defined sociology as the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behaviour [6]. The discipline primarily focuses on social life, emphasising the relationships that individuals maintain with others in society. In undergraduate AHS programmes, the course on sociology broadens students’ perspectives beyond biology and clinical aspects, enhancing their understanding of social, cultural and economic influences on health. This field of study provides insights into patient relationships, disparities in healthcare, community health dynamics, and institutional practices, which are essential for delivering comprehensive and culturally competent care [7, 8].

In AHS programmes, sociology is indispensable as it enables students to understand the social determinants of health within health profession education, thereby enhancing their understanding of the social context of health and healthcare delivery [9–14]. Furthermore, It develops key competencies such as critical thinking, communication, and cultural sensitivity, which are essential for patient-centred care. Evaluating students’ perceptions of the sociology course is important for understanding whether the curriculum effectively meets educational objectives and supports professional skill development. Therefore, this study aims to assess the perceived usefulness of the sociology course among undergraduate students of the Allied Health Sciences programme.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 240 undergraduate Allied Health Sciences students who were studying at a Medical College and Hospital in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The study institution is a pioneer in Allied Health Sciences (AHS) programmes in India, having trained graduates for over twenty-five years.

Allied health sciences programmes

The undergraduate AHS programme is a four-year programme consisting of six semesters over three years and a one-year internship. The undergraduate AHS programme have various specialisations in technology programmes, such as Anaesthesia Technology, Cardiac Technology, Critical Care Technology, Neuroscience Technology, Radiology & Imaging Science Technology, Renal Dialysis Technology, Respiratory Care Technology, Medical Laboratory Technology, and Urology Technology, etc.

Sociology course

Sociology course is a discipline elective course taught in the second semester of the four-year AHS programme, designed to develop an understanding of how social factors influence health and illness, improve their communication with patients from diverse backgrounds, highlight health inequalities, support effective teamwork, and prepare them to engage with communities for better health outcomes. The third and fourth-year students were selected for this study because they had completed the sociology course during their first year and had sufficient subsequent academic and clinical exposure to evaluate its relevance in practice. Their exposure to clinical settings and patient care enhances the relevance of the data collected.

Theoretical framework for the perceived usefulness of sociology course

This study is guided by the Kirkpatrick Model and Constructive Learning Theory. According to the Kirkpatrick model, learner perception and satisfaction represent the first level of educational evaluation (Reaction), providing important insight into the perceived value and relevance of a course [15]. Since this study aimed to assess students’ perceived usefulness of sociology, the framework offers an appropriate basis for understanding students’ responses to the course. Furthermore, constructivist learning theory emphasises that learners build knowledge through interaction between theoretical content and lived experiences [16, 17]. In the context of health sciences education, sociology enables students to connect social determinants, cultural influences, and patient behaviour with clinical practices, thereby supporting meaningful learning and professional competency development. Based on these frameworks, a conceptual model was developed to explain how sociology education influences students’ perceived usefulness and educational outcomes (Figure 1).

Fig. 1.

Theoretical framework for the perceived usefulness of the sociology course

Perceived usefulness of sociology course (PUSC) scale

The author has developed a new scale to measure the perceived usefulness of sociology course, and it is developed as a self-reported questionnaire named the Perceived Usefulness of Sociology Course (PUSC) scale. It was the primary research tool to collect quantitative data on the perceived usefulness of the sociology course. The items of the PUSC scale were developed in accordance with the conceptual framework. This questionnaire was carefully constructed to measure the perceived usefulness of the course, with items selected based on their relevance to perceived usefulness in academic learning and clinical practices, drawing on expert input. The investigator identified the items based on the objective of the study. The author of this study has over 18 years of experience in health-related social research, including 8 years of academic and teaching experience in sociology for health sciences students, which significantly contributed to the development of the scale. A total of 15 items were carefully designed to assess the perceived usefulness of the sociology course in the context of academic learning and clinical practices.

The scale’s content validity was established through a review by experts [18]. Six experts who are specialised in sociology, allied health sciences, and psychology assessed each item for relevance and clarity, and appropriateness of each item. Experts’ suggestions were carefully considered and incorporated to improve the comprehensiveness and clarity of the instruments. The instrument was pilot tested among 20 students (Cronbach’s alpha score was 0.952 for the 15-item full-scale, indicating excellent internal consistency), and minor revisions were made before final data collection and all items were retained (Additional file S1).

The scale comprised 15 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree), with higher scores indicating a more positive perception of the sociology course. The mean score interval was calculated to categorise the perceived levels of usefulness of the sociology course as low, medium, and high. For three levels of categories, the range of the scale (5 − 1 = 4) is divided by the 3 desired categories, and it was calculated as an interval of approximately 1.33; low level (1.00-2.33), medium level (2.34–3.67), and high level (3.68-5.00).

Overall level of satisfaction with the sociology course

A 10-point numerical rating scale (Horizontal Rating Scale) was used to assess the overall satisfaction of the sociology course [19]. The experience level was categorised as low satisfaction (scores from 1 to 3), moderate satisfaction (scores from 4 to 7) and high satisfaction (scores from 8 to 10).

Data collection and analysis

Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee (Ref.No:IEC-NI/25/07/106/144) of the study's participating institution. Confidentiality and voluntary participation were ensured. The data were collected in the month of September, 2025. All eligible students were invited to participate using a census approach. Since the study aimed to include all the third- and fourth-year students. Participants were invited to complete the questionnaire through an online form (Google form), and 240 students completed it out of 383 (response rate: 63%). Participants provided informed consent, and their information was kept confidential, and all the demographical information was removed before analysis. The study adhered to the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.

Data were cleaned in Excel and analysed using SPSS (v.16) and JAMOVI (2.7.24). Descriptive statistics, reliability analysis and exploratory factor analysis were conducted for the 15 PUSC items by using SPSS. Jamovi was used to perform confirmatory factor analysis, and inferential analysis. Mann-Whitney U test, was used to compare perceived usefulness scores with gender and year of study. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Among the 240 participants, 149 (62.1%) were female students and 91 (37.9%) were male students. One hundred and ten (45.8%) students were in the third year, and 130 (54.2%) students were in fourth-year.

The overall mean score for the PUSC score among AHS students was 57.49 ± 9.15 (56.33–58.66) and ranged from 15 to 75. The mean scores showed that students generally perceived the sociology course as highly useful in their academic and professional development. The distribution of total scores showed slight negative skewness (-0.55), suggesting that most students reported high scores, and kurtosis (2.89) indicated a moderately peaked distribution. Overall, the score distribution approximated normality and demonstrated moderate variability among AHS students.

Data normality was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests. Both the tests were statistically significant (Kolmogorov-Smirnov = 0.201, p<.001; Shapiro-Wilk = 0.778., p<.001), indicating deviation from normality. However, given the large sample size and ordinal nature of the data, minor deviations from normality were considered for factor analytic procedures.

Internal consistency

Cronbach’s alpha was computed for internal consistency to test the reliability of the PUSC scale. An alpha between 0.7 and 0.9 was considered acceptable [20]. The Cronbach’s alpha score was 0.960 for the 15-item full-scale, indicating excellent internal consistency.

In reliability analysis, corrected item-total correlation ranged from 0.73 to 0.83, and the Cronbach’s alpha scores for the scale with each item deleted were 0.95 for all 15 items (Table 1). Overall, the results confirm that all the items are relevant and internally cohesive in measuring the construct of perceived usefulness of the sociology course. The scale reliably measures perceived usefulness of the sociology course among AHS students. The mean item scores of the PUSC scale ranged from 3.68 to 3.97, suggesting that most participants agreed with the statements, indicating high level of perceived usefulness of the sociology course.

Table 1.

Descriptive statistics of the items of the PUSC scale (range per item 1–5) and corrected item-total correlation (n = 240)

S. No	Items	M ± SD	Corrected Item-Total Correlation	Cronbach’s Alpha if Item Deleted
1.	I gained a better understanding of the structure and function of society.	3.85 ± 0.75	0.79	0.96
2.	The course enlightened me on the impact of social factors on health outcomes.	3.84 ± 0.75	0.80	0.96
3.	It encouraged me to explore health issues beyond a biomedical perspective.	3.78 ± 0.81	0.74	0.96
4.	I gained insight into how family, culture, social stratification (Class, caste and race) and gender affect health practices.	3.97 ± 0.76	0.74	0.96
5.	The course has enhanced my awareness of ethical and social responsibilities in healthcare.	3.90 ± 0.71	0.83	0.96
6.	Sociology has increased my interest in social research related to healthcare.	3.68 ± 0.78	0.74	0.96
7.	I believe the sociology course is essential for all Allied Health Sciences students.	3.91 ± 0.77	0.75	0.96
8.	The course enhanced my ability to communicate effectively with patients from diverse backgrounds.	3.78 ± 0.77	0.75	0.96
9.	Sociology helped me understand patient behaviour in a broader social context.	3.86 ± 0.75	0.77	0.96
10.	I utilize sociological knowledge to assess patient needs more comprehensively in clinical settings.	3.80 ± 0.78	0.80	0.96
11.	It improved my capacity to deliver health education and awareness efficiently.	3.83 ± 0.76	0.79	0.96
12.	The course equipped me to identify vulnerable populations in my community.	3.80 ± 0.77	0.78	0.96
13.	The insights from this course help me recognize health disparities in the community.	3.83 ± 0.74	0.77	0.96
14.	The course prepared me to work effectively in multicultural health settings.	3.83 ± 0.74	0.77	0.96
15.	Sociology taught me the importance of holistic care in clinical practice.	3.86 ± 0.75	0.73	0.96

Exploratory factor analysis

Factor Analysis, both the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value (0.952) and the statistical significance of the Bartlett’s test of sphericity (X²=2997.03; p = .00) supported that the data were appropriate for exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Principal axis factor analysis without rotation was performed to assess the underlying structures for the 15 items of the PUSC scale. For factor extraction, eigenvalues are fixed as greater than 1, and the number of factors is not requested. The principal component analysis revealed a clear one-component structure. Only one factor had an eigenvalue greater than 1 (9.68), accounting for 64.53% of the total variance (Table 2). The component factor matrix demonstrated strong item loadings on the extracted factor, ranging from 0.767 to 0.852, indicating strong associations with the underlying construct. The highest loading was observed for the item related to ethical and social responsibilities in healthcare (0.852). These findings confirm that all items contribute meaningfully to the scale and support the construct validity and one-dimensionality of the PUSC scale among AHS students.

Table 2.

Exploratory factor analysis of the PUSC scale (n = 240)

S.No	Items	Factor 1
1.	I gained a better understanding of the structure and function of society.	0.819
2.	The course enlightened me on the impact of social factors on health outcomes.	0.833
3.	It encouraged me to explore health issues beyond a biomedical perspective.	0.777
4.	I gained insight into how family, culture, social stratification (Class, caste and race) and gender affect health practices.	0.778
5.	The course has enhanced my awareness of ethical and social responsibilities in healthcare.	0.852
6.	Sociology has increased my interest in social research related to healthcare.	0.772
7.	I believe the sociology course is essential for all Allied Health Sciences students.	0.785
8.	The course enhanced my ability to communicate effectively with patients from diverse backgrounds.	0.787
9.	Sociology helped me understand patient behaviour in a broader social context.	0.807
10.	I utilize sociological knowledge to assess patient needs more comprehensively in clinical settings.	0.829
11.	It improved my capacity to deliver health education and awareness efficiently.	0.819
12.	The course equipped me to identify vulnerable populations in my community.	0.808
13.	The insights from this course help me recognize health disparities in the community.	0.805
14.	The course prepared me to work effectively in multicultural health settings.	0.807
15.	Sociology taught me the importance of holistic care in clinical practice.	0.767
	% of variance	64.53%
	Eigenvalues	9.68

Conformity factor analysis

Conformity Factor Analysis (CFA) demonstrated that all items loaded significantly onto the latent factor, with factor loadings ranging from 0.93 to 1.06, indicating strong convergent validity (Table 3). The latent factor variance was statistically significant (Estimate = 0.36., SE = 0.05, z = 7.49, p<.001), suggesting meaningful variability in the construct among participants. Model fit indices showed mixed results with a significant chi-square test (χ² = 359, df = 90, p < .001), an acceptable comparative fit index (CFI = 0.910), marginal Tucker-Lewis index (TLI = 0.895), excellent standardised root mean square residual (SRMR = 0.0401), and elevated root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA = 0.112, 90% CI:0.0996–0.124). Despite the violation of normality assumptions and elevated RMSEA, the strong factor loadings and high explained variance support the structural validity of the scale.

Table 3.

Conformity factor analysis of the PUSC scale (n = 240)

Factor 1	Factor Loadings
Indicator	Estimate	SE	95% CI		Z	p
1	1.00ᵃ
2	1.02	0.07	0.89–1.15		15.0	< 0.001
3	1.03	0.08	0.88–1.18		13.4	< 0.001
4	0.97	0.07	0.83–1.11		13.4	< 0.001
5	1.00	0.06	0.87–1.12		15.4	< 0.001
6	0.98	0.07	0.84–1.13		13.3	< 0.001
7	0.99	0.07	0.85–1.13		13.7	< 0.001
8	0.99	0.07	0.84–1.13		13.6	< 0.001
9	0.99	0.07	0.85–1.13		14.1	< 0.001
10	1.06	0.07	0.92–1.20		14.8	< 0.001
11	1.01	0.07	0.88–1.15		14.5	< 0.001
12	1.06	0.07	0.88–1.16		14.1	< 0.001
13	0.97	0.07	0.83–1.10		14.0	< 0.001
14	0.97	0.07	0.84–1.10		14.2	< 0.001
15	0.93	0.08	0.79–1.07		13.0	< 0.001
	Factor Covariances
Factor 1	Estimate	SE	95% CI		Z	p
	0.36	0.05	0.27–0.45		7.49	< 0.001

Floor and ceiling effects

The results found no floor and ceiling effects for the PUSC scale. Two (0.8%) participants scored the lowest possible score (15), and 15 participants (6.3%) had the highest score of 75.

Interpretation of group differences

The Mann-Whitney U test was conducted to examine differences in the perceived usefulness of the sociology course by gender and year of study (Table 4). There are no significant differences observed between males and females, as well as students studying in the third and fourth years. The result indicates that both the male and female students, third-year and fourth-year students, similarly perceived the usefulness of the sociology course.

Table 4.

Mann-Whitney U test for the mean total score of PUSC scale by gender and year of study (n = 240)

Variable		N	Mean	Median	SD	SE	U value	p-value	Effect Size
Gender
Male		91	3.82	3.93	0.71	0.07	6657	0.81	0.018
Female		149	3.84	3.87	0.54	0.04
Year of Study
Third Year		110	3.86	3.87	0.59	0.06	7134	0.98	-0.002
Fourth Year		130	3.81	3.93	0.63	0.06

Level of perception of the sociology course

The overall perception of the students toward the sociology course was predominantly high (62.08%) (Figure 2). This result suggests that the sociology course was perceived as highly beneficial in enhancing academic understanding of social and health-related issues. As well as being practically relevant and applicable in their clinical or community healthcare settings.

Fig. 2.

Level of perception of the sociology course measured by PUSC scale (n = 240)

Overall satisfaction of the sociology course

In the overall level of satisfaction of the sociology course on a 10-point numerical rating scale, 51.25% rated it as a high level of satisfaction and 46.67% as a moderate level of satisfaction (Figure 3). This result highlights its relevance, engagement, and effectiveness in meeting learning objectives within the Allied Health Sciences curriculum.

Fig. 3.

Overall level of satisfaction with the sociology course (n = 240)

Discussion

Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) in higher education focuses on providing inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all by 2030 [21]. Integrating sociology into health sciences curricula allows students to comprehend health from a social perspective, addressing factors such as class, culture, and inequality. This approach enhances the empathy and effectiveness of healthcare professionals. Sociology provides a distinct perspective that helps students understand how social factors influence health, illness, patient behaviours, and healthcare delivery, which is essential for promoting holistic and culturally competent care and society [22–26]. The findings of this study highlight important insights into how this discipline contributes to education and professional formation among undergraduate AHS students.

The CFA provided mixed evidence regarding the structural validity of the PUSC scale. All 15 items loaded significantly onto the latent construct, with strong factor loadings indicating that each item contributed meaningfully to the measurement of the underlying construct. Further, the findings support good convergent validity and suggest strong coherence among the scale items. Additionally, the EFA demonstrated a clear one-factor structure, with the first component explaining a substantial proportion of the total variance, further supporting one-dimensionality. However, despite these favourable findings, the overall model fit indices were mixed. While the CFI and SRMSR indicated good model fit, the elevated RMSEA suggested suboptimal absolute model fit. This discrepancy may be attributed to methodological factors, including the strict assumptions of covariance-based CFA, potential item redundancy, and non-normal distributions of the data. Given the ordinal nature of Likert-scale responses, such violations are not uncommon in psychometric research. Therefore, elevated RMSEA should be interpreted cautiously and may not necessarily indicate poor construct validity. Future studies may consider model refinement through examination of modification indices, testing alternative factor structures to further improve the model fit.

Most studies reported that learning sociology can enhance nurses’ understanding and empathy towards the social aspects of healthcare users, resulting in an overall improvement in the quality of care they provide [27–31]. Similarly, this study found that students acknowledging the importance of sociology indicates that health is not just a biological issue, but is influenced by social factors such as family dynamics, community structures, and socio-economic conditions. Mostly, all the students reported moderate to high levels of perceived usefulness and satisfaction with the sociology course. However, only around half of the students perceived a high level of perceived usefulness and were satisfied with the sociology course. These findings indicate that while students may acknowledge the importance of the sociology conceptually, they may encounter limitations in its practical integration into their clinical training.

The study findings provided support for the conceptual framework. Firstly, the moderate to high levels of perceived usefulness scores are in line with Level 1 (Reaction) of the Kirkpatrick Model, which indicates positive reaction to the sociology course, implying that students recognise its educational importance. Secondly, the high ratings for items related to academic and clinical relevance support constructive learning theory, suggesting that students were able to relate sociological concepts like social determinants of health, cultural diversity, and patient behaviour to practical application in healthcare.

Moreover, significant differences in PUSC scores were not found between male and female students or between those in their third and fourth years. This could imply that the importance of sociology is widely recognised, regardless of gender or academic year. A possible reason is that sociology addresses foundational concepts that are essential for all healthcare students, including understanding patient behaviour, social inequalities, cultural diversity, and the role of community in health.

Medical students who have opted for training in sociology are often more motivated to recognise the social dimensions of healthcare and to adopt a patient-centred approach in their practice [32]. This educational background equips them to understand and address health disparities, communicate effectively with patients from diverse backgrounds, and manage the ethical challenges in modern medical practice [33]. Moreover, the inclusion of sociology has also been associated with improved patient outcomes, as healthcare professions who understand the social determinants of health are more capable of addressing the underlying causes of illness rather than merely treating symptoms [34].

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the social determinants of health as “the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life” [35]. These forces and systems encompass economic policies, develop agendas, cultural and social norms, social policies, and political systems. In a time of significant human migration, changing demographics, and widening financial disparities between the wealthy and the poor, it is crucial to understand how the environments and circumstances in which people and communities live impact their mental and physical well-being.

Educating health professionals about social determinants of health raises awareness on the root cause of ill health and the importance of community involvement, leading to more effective strategies for improving healthcare for underserved populations. In 2016, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommended a comprehensive framework for educating health professionals on addressing the social determinants of health [36]. Integrating the social determinants of health into health professionals’ lifelong learning will equip them with the skills and passion to address these crucial factors in individual and community health. This approach should be a key component of health professional education and training, enabling professionals to collaborate with others and take action on social determinants of health throughout their careers.

According to the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP) Act 2021, standardised curricula for allied health programmes are developed in India, including courses that focus on the sociological aspects of healthcare [1]. This course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the social dimensions influencing health and healthcare practices. The sociology course has been named ‘Sociology in Healthcare’ and included in the curriculum of Allied Health Sciences programmes. Sociology for health sciences examines how social factors influence health, illness, and healthcare. Undergraduate AHS programmes focus on understanding social determinants of health and their impact on health behaviours and access to care. This field explores the relationship between society and health outcomes, healthcare system organisation, and patient or provider experiences within social contexts. Incorporating sociology for health sciences helps Allied Health Professionals deliver more effective, equitable, and culturally sensitive care.

Every research study has its constraints, and this study is not an exception. This study also had limitations. Sociology in Health Sciences course is very important and useful in medical education. This study was conducted with an adequate sample of participants and performed a preliminary psychometric analysis. The results showed a strong internal structure from PCA and 65% variance explained; all CFA factor loadings were significant with good residual fit (SRMR = 0.040). Further psychometric validation in larger samples is required. Future studies may consider model refinement through examination of modification indices, testing alternative factor structures to further improve model fit. Future studies will be needed to investigate the test–retest reliability and criterion-related validation to validate the scale.

The study was designed as a cross-sectional study conducted with 240 AHS students at a single university, which may limit the generalizability of the study findings. Self-reported information may be influenced by social desirability and recall bias, as participants might have provided more favourable responses or not accurately remembered experiences. The perspectives of those who did not participate might vary, which could further impact the generalizability of the findings. Furthermore, the study focused solely on perceived usefulness and satisfaction of the sociology course, without assessing objective outcomes such as knowledge acquisition, skill development, or clinical performance. Although higher levels of educational outcomes, such as behavioural change or competency development, were not directly measured. The findings provide preliminary empirical support for the conceptual framework and indicate the potential contribution of sociology education in fostering professional development within health sciences. Future studies should include undergraduate AHS students from various universities to further explore the usefulness of the sociology course. Despite its limitations, the findings of this study indicate significant implications for educators of AHS graduates.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that, majority of the students expressed moderate to high levels of satisfaction and perceived usefulness with the sociology course. Nearly two-thirds of the students perceived the sociology course as highly useful, and half of them expressed high satisfaction. Additionally, the study found that the importance of sociology is widely recognised, regardless of gender or academic year. Overall, undergraduate Allied Health Sciences (AHS) students perceived the sociology course as valuable for understanding social determinants of health, improving patient interactions, and enhancing their professional competencies. This study recommends the inclusion of a sociology course in the curriculum for all Allied Health Sciences programmes.

Abbreviations

AHS

Allied Health Sciences

NCAHP

National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions

PUSC

Perceived Usefulness of Sociology Course scale

SPSS

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

SDG

Sustainable Development Goal

ASA

The American Sociological Association

WHO

World Health Organisation

Authors' contributions

Pitchaimani Govindharaj (PG): Conceptualization, methodology, investigation, data curation, formal analysis, project administration, manuscript writing and editing, proofreading and finalising the final draft for submission.

Funding

The author has no sources of funding to declare.

Data availability

The dataset used and analyzed during the current study is available from the first author upon reasonable request.

Declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) of Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The ethical approval number is IEC-NI/25/07/106/144. Informed consent was obtained electronically from all the participants via a secure Google Form. The study was conducted under the principles of the Helsinki Declaration.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The author declares no competing interests.