Medicalisation

· Leave a comment ·

Medicalisation gives a big concept within the field of medical sociology, the early evaluation of medicalisation stems from the constructions of the women’s reproductive health experience example of this is pregnancy and childbirth. (Oakley 1984) over the time this moved away from childbirth and pregnancy and moved into new conditions have become known to be medicalized process which vary from men’s experience such as erectile dysfunction, male baldness. (Conrad 2007) medicalisation continues to be having to have an interest in sociologists the basic concepts of the analytical framework for example the known to dichotomy known as natural versus the medical have seen to have many problems overtime. (Brubaker et al 2008)

Ivan Illich and notion of ‘Medical Imperialism’

· Leave a comment ·

Ivan Illich born in September 1926 was known for the concept of medicalisation, which is attributed to him, and he was one of the first to advocated patient’s empowerment. He was also known to be one of the movements greatest free thinkers before he died in December 2002 of cancer. (Natural health perspective 2016)

The focus of this blog and part of the assessment investigates Ivan Illich theories based upon the notion of his ‘Medical Imperialism’. Illich’s start premature work of his theory which detailed of medicalisation which sees that he criticised the western part of the world of their medicalisation, this is seen in his books of medical nemesis published in 1976 and then later published limits to medicine published in 1995. His medical nemesis theory is based upon his opinion which guides us into to his opinion of three steps looking into Iatrogenesis, there are:

➢ Social Iatrogenesis – Medicalisation of life and its results.

➢ Cultural Iatrogenesis- The extinction of traditional ways; mainly looking at how to deal with a death also sickness and pain.

➢ Clinical Iatrogenesis – Injury that was caused to patient by unsafe analysis.

When looking into Illich’s three steps which are above, this shows that medicalisation is an ongoing problem which is increasing in our society. Which shows an increasing problem of health, the medical professionals are now taking control of medicine, as a result of this, and it has reached a point of “epidemic.” (Illich, 1976)Illich’s  seen that many medical board meeting of any medical services are now having debates of disease this is shown by researchers needing to not have a central interest of ‘sick-making powers’, such as a diagnosis and therapy, which include studies of a ‘paradoxical damage’. Illich says that this is due to a cure for the illness, but this takes a significant amount of ‘space in medical dope-sheet’ (Illich, 1976).

References

· Leave a comment ·

Ann.Oakley (1984) the captured womb: A history of medical care of pregnant women
Ashley.L Merianos ,Rebbecca.A vidourek and Keith. A King (2013) medicalization of female beauty: a content analysis of cosmetic procedures
Ivan Illich (1976) limits to medicine
Kerry Mulligan (2011) The medicalization of childbirth: a cross national Analysis
 Lloydspharmacy (2015)Seen: https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/blog/how-to-last-longer-in-bed/ accessed 12/07/2019
Mens health( 2018) seen: https://www.menshealth.com/uk/sex/a758932/buying-viagra-everything-you-need-to-know/ accessed 12/07/2019
Michelle Ann Abate (2010) “plastic makes perfect”: my beautiful mommy, cosmetic surgery and Medicalization of motherhood
Natural health perspective (2016) seen : http://naturalhealthperspective.com/tutorials/ivan-illich.html (accessed 12/07/2019)
Nhs(2017) seen: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/erection-problems-erectile-dysfunction/ (accessed 12/07/2019)
NHS(2019) SEEN: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cosmetic-procedures/( accessed 12/07/2019)
Peter Conrad (2007) The medicalization of society: On the transformation of human conditions into treatable disorders
Richard Johnson ,Mary newburn,Alison Macfarlane (2002) Has the medicalisation of child birth gone too far?
Richard M Carpiano (2001) passive medicalization: The case of Viagra and Erectile Dysfunction

Conclusion

· Leave a comment ·

The above case studies suggest that Illich’s theory of Medical Imperialism remains relevant today. The studies indicate that there are potential benefits to medicalisation, providing individuals with resources to maintain their health and, as highlighted by Parsons, the “sick role” allocates space for individuals to recover from illness. In contrast, the dominance of medicalisation now regulates the everyday behaviour of individuals and emphasis is placed upon concepts of “deviance” and “normality”, the aim of the medical industry being to make a profit from disease and illness. Illich’s (1976) theory of medical imperialism, in his book of medical nemesis is currently supported when considering the medicalisation of childbirth, cosmetic beauty and Viagra and erectile dysfunction. This sees that Illich’s claim of medical imperialism has a main interpretation of medicalisation in our current society of today.

Cosmetic beauty

· Leave a comment ·

Looking into the cosmetic beauty we see that it is highly medicalised which is used to make the individuals feel body confident, which is sees them to achieve the perfect looks of their body, this sees for the individual to go through elective medical procedures. This medicalization can be seen to ‘fixing what they see as medical flaws and medical illness and perhaps change the appearance ‘by cosmetic body procedures. (Abate 2010) The known to be elective procedures can be face lifts, lipo suction, breast implants, tummy tuck, bum implants, nose shaping and hair transplant and many more. There also other non-surgical procedures which are used which are Botox injection, dermal filler, laser hair removal and skin lighten. (NHS 2019)these procedures are seen to be used to undergo to reshape normal structure of their body as well as enhancing their appreace,confidence,and self-esteem as they would feel happy about their body as they would feel their achieve what is seen in the public eye as a ‘perfect bodies’. Cosmetic beauty surgery is seen to be on the rise as the public eye influences a lot of medicalisation of surgery though choice and with many younger generations seeing celebrities go through cosmetic beauty procedures to achieve the perfect looks. (Merinos et al 2013)

Viagra, erectile dysfunction and man size

· Leave a comment ·
Erectile dysfunction is not seen to be uncommon in our society, this is when the penis is lack of ability to maintain an erection this judgement of this is made by the NHS. most of men experience this in their lifetime. (NHS2017) medicalization plays a huge part of in this man issue that they experience time to time this is seen to use Viagra to assist them to ‘last longer in the bedroom’(Lloyds pharmacy 2015)to help me achieve this to use sildenafil citrate this is medicalised to the brand name of Viagra has changed the way men see erectile dysfunction. Viagra also known as ‘blue pills. Viagra relaxes the muscle cells in the blood vessels that supply the penis, boosting blood flow and increasing the chance of getting an erection. For that reason, the drug only works if you’re already aroused, and unfortunately, it isn’t necessarily effective for everyone.(men health 2018)This sees medicalization to have a new state of purpose as it helps men feel that they can give a lot more sexual pleasure to themselves and their partners, which can increase their feel to be more masculine.( Carpiano, 2001)
 Masculinity plays a big part in our society this is seen as a there is not a definition of a ‘normal size’penis,our society plays a very powerful role in men in the way they need to look, the public makes men have a set image of the way they need to look like in order to be a man, to give them have a masculine role to achieve. This gives men to feel like they need to have the driving pressures to become and feel like a man, it said that there is no definition of what is a normal size penis,its seen to have the impact of social factors that influence a man’s decision on whether he has to feel concerned about his looks.(Carpiano, 2001).

Medicalisation of childbirth

· Leave a comment ·

Childbirth is seen to have a huge backing of medicalisation in our current society, as it is more seen for hospital birth and medical professional deliveries using medical technologies, and known as medical intervention for example known medical intervention known as inductions using medication to bring on labour and to gain delivery of the baby.(Johnson et al 2002) Between the 19th and 20th century medical influenced birth was extended into more detail with the development in birth of babies would see new forms of anaesthesia and other medical intervention for example c sections and other develop medications. Before this development hospital births medicalised birth were seen very high risk and unsafe place to give birth to a child.

 Looking into child birth in our current day sees pregnancy and child birth highly medicalised as this starts from even at the very start of conception with a lot of individuals using IVF to conceive there baby, and other medical interventions to conceive a baby, once convinced a baby it is seen for the expectant mother to seek medical support and professional though out the pregnancy this is seen by once you established your pregnant you visit your doctors to confirm your pregnancy and they refer you to midwife where you would seek them for your first appointment between 8\10 weeks of pregnancy where you would choose where you would like to seek medical support though the pregnancy for example hospitals for ultrasounds and other scans to check the growth of your baby along with other medical professionals and test being carried out to make sure you have what is known track the progress of your growth  and the health of the expectant mother for example diabetes screening,dowsyndrome screening and other screening throughout the 9/10 months of pregnancy.

Medicalized birth can be seen in childbirth with medical intervention to keep mother and baby safe for example a c section may be preference of the expectant mother or for the medical professional to express their concerns for the safety of the mother and baby for a successful birth. Medicalization is seen to be used though nature deliveries to for example forceps, suction and medications this archive what is known as medicalised birth. (mulligan 2011)