ENCORE: Sexism In Medicine, Part 1

In “Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick,” feminist journalist Maya Dusenbery looks at the roots of sexism in medicine. Why are women’s health complaints often dismissed? How has Freudian psychology with its notions of “hysteria” and “conversion disorders” undermined the legitimacy of women’s complaints? Women are disproportionately affected by pain syndromes like fibromyalgia, incapacitating menstrual cramps, and migraines and IBS; they are also far more likely to suffer from autoimmune disorders; they are often under-treated for heart problems which are erroneously thought to be predominantly male. Why is research lagging in these areas that so disproportionately affect women? Does greater inclusion of women in the ranks of health professionals promise more female-centric care? Or do institutional barriers within a paternalistic system limit progress? How can women surmount obstacles to equitable care? Click HERE for part 2.