Medicalization

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Medicalization

Medicalization (/ˌmɛdɪkəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/), also spelled medicalisation, is a process by which non-medical problems become defined and treated as medical problems, usually in terms of illnesses, disorders, or syndromes. The term is often used in a critical context.

Etymology

The term "medicalization" was first used in a sociological context in the 1970s, to denote the process of making something medical. The term is a combination of "medical" and the suffix "-ization", which denotes a process or action.

Definition

Medicalization can be defined as the process by which certain aspects of life become medicalized when they are framed in terms of health and illness. This can include normal life processes such as pregnancy and aging, as well as social issues such as obesity and addiction.

Related Terms

  • Demedicalization: The process by which a problem ceases to be defined as an illness or disorder and is no longer the subject of medical study or treatment.
  • Pathologization: The process by which a condition or behavior becomes classified as a disease or disorder.
  • Biomedicalization: The process by which medical knowledge and practices are applied to activities that were previously outside the realm of medicine.

Criticism

Critics of medicalization argue that it can lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment, as well as the stigmatization of individuals who do not fit within societal norms. They also argue that it can lead to the medical profession gaining too much power over people's lives.

See Also

External links

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