Women's Health Care: An Overview

A variety of issues relating to women's health care are examined. The women's health movement has emerged recently in response to growing concern over negative medical stereotypes of women & harmful medical practices. Differences have been noted in women's patterns of health servi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marriage & family review 1980-10, Vol.3 (3), p.1-34
Main Authors: Cogswell, Betty E, Arndt, Jane E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Health
Health care
Hospitals
Medical
Medical personnel
Preventive medicine
Social conditions & trends
Society
Woman/Women (see also Female)
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Summary:A variety of issues relating to women's health care are examined. The women's health movement has emerged recently in response to growing concern over negative medical stereotypes of women & harmful medical practices. Differences have been noted in women's patterns of health service utilization as compared to those of men; in particular, women more often have contact with the health care system. This includes many well women, whose primary motive for more frequent contact is the desire for fertility control devices. MDs have been accused of holding negative images of women, supported by medical education, textbooks, & drug advertising; it is argued that these stereotypes affect diagnosis, communication, & treatment. The influence of the conventional medical perspective on women's health care includes medicalization of normal life events, extensive use of medical technology, & neglect of common but minor conditions. Childbirth, in particular, illustrates these tendencies; effects are also apparent on contraception, medical reactions to menstruation & menopause, & unnecessary performance of surgical procedures. Much more extensive changes will be needed than have yet occurred if the goals of the movement are to be reached. W. H. Stoddard.
ISSN:0149-4929
1540-9635