In healthcare, determining what’s wrong should be straightforward. It’s a tool to spot & fix what makes us sick. But it’s not that simple. It’s social, too. Medical studies tell us this. The tags we receive (or don’t receive) come from our culture, power, and how we’re perceived.
Look at pain. Women often hear their pain is “all in the head”. Black individuals often get less care for their pain than white individuals. This gap isn’t from nature. It’s from old biases in health training, study, & work. Who’s heard, who’s not, & who’s “normal” show deep-set social ranks.
Mind health tags show this tilt, too. Black patients often get tagged with acts of defiance, while white patients with the same acts might get ADHD or anxiety tags. These tags are not negative and actually bring help, instead of the harsh words those without them recieve. Women also want this kind of diagnosis, but instead are met with people telling them that they are “being dramatic” or that their “hormones are out of control.” While many healthcare providers have moved past this type of presumption, many are still stuck in the past and still have to begin to learn that any patient’s pain should be dealt with an open mind.
So, who is seen as sick? & who must “deal” alone? Health studies push us to face these hard asks. To make health care fair, we need more than just looking at what’s wrong. We need to look at the rules & norms that name, sort, & sometimes mute them.