The process of Medicalization is one that has been researched and written about since the early 1970s. The actual term ‘Medicalization’ refers to the process in which behavior or other biological functions or possible abnormalities fall under the jurisdiction of medical field (Conrad 210). As such, the medicalization of specific psychological disorders, physical problems, and other natural biological functions leads to numerous problems in the public health sector, specifically in the United States. First, the context in which medical problems are defined as such could possibly fall under the category of natural life processes (Conrad 213). Second, medicalization poses statistical and diagnostic problems for health care professionals who may over diagnose illnesses or disorders in their patients. Finally, the problem of medicalization may provide a goldmine for pharmaceutical companies who aim to attempt to create new forms of medical therapies and medications for “new” illnesses or disorders that are affecting the general population. However, in this essay, I would make the claim that both the first and third issues of medicalization are the most important and affect a very broad category of individuals; women. As such, I believe that focusing primarily on the health inequalities created by the medicalization of women’s health will give a clear example of how exactly the process of medicalization affects the public health sector.
The health disparities that exist between males and females has faced much scrutiny and research over the last several decades, primarily in viewing how the health care system serves each sex differently. However, the belief that women often visit health care professionals at a greater rate than males is a distinction with numerous explanations. The explanation for this that I would like to give is due to the medicalization of natural life processes in women’s health which creates these inequalities (Conrad 214). While the term “natural life processes” may seem like a common sense topic, it is important to recognize this term and its importance when explaining medicalization, primarily in women’s health. In this case, the term “natural life processes” refers to the natural biological functions of women across the globe including menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, and other functions (Kaufert & Gilbert 7). Using this definition, we can begin to finally examine just how the medicalization of these functions effects health care as a whole and specifically for women in the US. During the period of time before Western medicine became modernized, women were often seen as the healers of the community and passed along remedies for various ailments. However, after medicine came under the scrutiny of not being researched and clarified enough, medicine fell out of the hands of women and other professionals in general, and fell under strict guidelines and diagnostic manuals. At this point in history, women’s health and sexuality became seen as something that should be treated. (Kaufert & Lock 83).
Treatment of natural biological functions in women has evolved over time as well. When these functions were first considered pathological, the natural course of treatment was to take teenage girls out of school for the course of their period to allow them to rest, and along with this doctors forbade any form of exercise during this time period as well (Kaufert & Gilbert 9). While in our modern society, we obviously do not have health care professionals prescribing ‘rest’ for menopause or menstruation, the treatment options have evolved in conjunction with our knowledge and increased reliability on medications to help us. Due to the evolution of pharmaceuticals as well as the increase in the use of mass media, the issue of hormones, pain reduction, and even surgery have become pinnacle in the discussion of women’s health. A prime example of this is the treatment of menopause whose pathology is treated as almost a direct disease on a woman’s body. Modern treatment options for menopause have included estrogen replacement therapy and other psychotropic drugs to aid in the creation of hormones (Kaufert & Gilbert 9). As you can see here, the creation and treatment of menopause and other natural life functions of women in the US is treated as a curable disease which then leads to the increase of women visiting health care professionals on a national scale.
The health disparities that I have described due to the medicalization and the evolution of treatment options for natural life processes of women could be argued to be a major social determinant of health. While it is important to remember that the social determinants of health refer to conditions in which individuals live and grow, it is more crucial to understand the intersectionality of these social factors. The factors of economics, education, power, ect, all intersect to create possibly inequalities in our society. In this context, the process of medicalization forms from the intersections of power and sexuality. The argument can be made that due to the factors associated with the patriarchal society we live in, women are subject to a higher rate of medicalization then men. As a result, the social determinants of both sexuality and the distribution of power have affected the overall medicalization of the natural life processes of women and created a large gap in the inequality between men and women.
In conclusion, the medicalization of women’s health in America has aided in the creation of an unequal system of health care for both men and women. The treatment of natural life processes of women such as menstruation and menopause creates the need for women to visit the doctor more frequently than men and also allows pharmaceutical companies to create and advertise new treatment options and therapies for these normal biological functions. While there are other factors associated with the unequal distribution of health care between the sexes in America, it is important to learn more about each one in depth and also see how these factors connect with each other.
Works Cited
Conrad, Peter. "Medicalization and Social Control." Annual Review of Sociology 18 (1992): 209-32. Web.
Kaufert, Patricia A., and Penny Gilbert. "Women, menopause, and medicalization." Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 10.1 (1986): 7-21.
Kaufert, Patricia A., and Margaret Lock. "Medicalization of women's third age." Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology 18.2 (1997): 81-86.
The health disparities that exist between males and females has faced much scrutiny and research over the last several decades, primarily in viewing how the health care system serves each sex differently. However, the belief that women often visit health care professionals at a greater rate than males is a distinction with numerous explanations. The explanation for this that I would like to give is due to the medicalization of natural life processes in women’s health which creates these inequalities (Conrad 214). While the term “natural life processes” may seem like a common sense topic, it is important to recognize this term and its importance when explaining medicalization, primarily in women’s health. In this case, the term “natural life processes” refers to the natural biological functions of women across the globe including menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, and other functions (Kaufert & Gilbert 7). Using this definition, we can begin to finally examine just how the medicalization of these functions effects health care as a whole and specifically for women in the US. During the period of time before Western medicine became modernized, women were often seen as the healers of the community and passed along remedies for various ailments. However, after medicine came under the scrutiny of not being researched and clarified enough, medicine fell out of the hands of women and other professionals in general, and fell under strict guidelines and diagnostic manuals. At this point in history, women’s health and sexuality became seen as something that should be treated. (Kaufert & Lock 83).
Treatment of natural biological functions in women has evolved over time as well. When these functions were first considered pathological, the natural course of treatment was to take teenage girls out of school for the course of their period to allow them to rest, and along with this doctors forbade any form of exercise during this time period as well (Kaufert & Gilbert 9). While in our modern society, we obviously do not have health care professionals prescribing ‘rest’ for menopause or menstruation, the treatment options have evolved in conjunction with our knowledge and increased reliability on medications to help us. Due to the evolution of pharmaceuticals as well as the increase in the use of mass media, the issue of hormones, pain reduction, and even surgery have become pinnacle in the discussion of women’s health. A prime example of this is the treatment of menopause whose pathology is treated as almost a direct disease on a woman’s body. Modern treatment options for menopause have included estrogen replacement therapy and other psychotropic drugs to aid in the creation of hormones (Kaufert & Gilbert 9). As you can see here, the creation and treatment of menopause and other natural life functions of women in the US is treated as a curable disease which then leads to the increase of women visiting health care professionals on a national scale.
The health disparities that I have described due to the medicalization and the evolution of treatment options for natural life processes of women could be argued to be a major social determinant of health. While it is important to remember that the social determinants of health refer to conditions in which individuals live and grow, it is more crucial to understand the intersectionality of these social factors. The factors of economics, education, power, ect, all intersect to create possibly inequalities in our society. In this context, the process of medicalization forms from the intersections of power and sexuality. The argument can be made that due to the factors associated with the patriarchal society we live in, women are subject to a higher rate of medicalization then men. As a result, the social determinants of both sexuality and the distribution of power have affected the overall medicalization of the natural life processes of women and created a large gap in the inequality between men and women.
In conclusion, the medicalization of women’s health in America has aided in the creation of an unequal system of health care for both men and women. The treatment of natural life processes of women such as menstruation and menopause creates the need for women to visit the doctor more frequently than men and also allows pharmaceutical companies to create and advertise new treatment options and therapies for these normal biological functions. While there are other factors associated with the unequal distribution of health care between the sexes in America, it is important to learn more about each one in depth and also see how these factors connect with each other.
Works Cited
Conrad, Peter. "Medicalization and Social Control." Annual Review of Sociology 18 (1992): 209-32. Web.
Kaufert, Patricia A., and Penny Gilbert. "Women, menopause, and medicalization." Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry 10.1 (1986): 7-21.
Kaufert, Patricia A., and Margaret Lock. "Medicalization of women's third age." Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology 18.2 (1997): 81-86.