Finding
A definition is suggested, and it is argued, that "medicalization" and "making ill" are not synonymous, but that "making ill" is a result of "medicalization".
Paper
[Making ill and "medicalization". An attempt to clarify the concepts based on literature study].
Abstract
In Denmark, "medicalization" and "making ill" are words that are used at random. The first describes a process where normal reactions and parts of life are defined as medical problems and are subsequently dealt with by the health care system. The second word is used in Nordic languages to describe the process of a healthy person being given the feeling of being ill, e.g. as a result of a screening. In the health care debate in Denmark you often find that doctors, researchers and lay people use the words "medicalization" and "making ill" in different ways. The purpose of this paper is to clarify and define these concepts. Based on the literature, different definitions and use of the words are examined. A definition is suggested, and it is argued, that "medicalization" and "making ill" are not synonymous, but that "making ill" is a result of "medicalization". The most notable difference is that "medicalization" is a process going on in the society, whereas "making ill" is a process affecting the individual.
Authors
A. C. Hvas
Journal
Ugeskrift for laeger