Medicalisation describes a process by which non-medical problems become defined and treated as medical problems, usually in terms of illness and disorders (Conrad. 2007). Behaviours once described as immoral, sinful or criminal have been given medical meaning, moving them from badness to sickness (Conrad. 2007). Ivan Illich (1976) a radical cultural critic and philosopher, explains how ‘medical imperialism’ has begun to dominate our lives and is causing harm within society. Rather than curing and healing, Illich (1976) believes that medicine contributes to illness through the iatrogenesis effects of its interventions. Illich (1976) argued that the ‘damage done by medicine to the health of individuals and populations is very significant’ . He suggested that there are three types of iatrogenesis, clinical, social and cultural. Clinical refers to a process whereby medicalisation causes the need for further medical intervention. Social iatrogenesis, Illich’s second type of medical misfortune (Morrall. 2009) suggests that the whole of society becomes dependent upon the medical profession by becoming addicted to medicines aswell as the medical profession. Thirdly, Cultural iatrogenesis is formed as a by-product of medical intrusion following clinical and social, making the individual incapacitated (Morrall. 2009).
Illich (1975) further described this by the concept of medical imperialism in which medicalisation becomes both influential and controlling over individuals and the society in which they live in leading to issues that were once seen as personal are no longer that but instead controlled by medical power and dominance.
The following blogs will explore how medicalisation has evolved and dominated society using case studies including Female genital mutilation and designer vaginas, Men’s bodies and Criminal and deviant bodies.
Health and Social Care 2019 