Medicalisation and Overdiagnosis: What Society Does to Medicine

Authors

  • Gert P. Westert Celsus Academy for Sustainable Healthcare, and Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  • Marit A.C. Tanke Celsus Academy for Sustainable Healthcare, and Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  • Marjan J. Faber Celsus Academy for Sustainable Healthcare, and Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  • Patrick P.T. Jeurissen Celsus Academy for Sustainable Healthcare, and Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
  • Wieteke van Dijk Celsus Academy for Sustainable Healthcare, and Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Abstract:

The concept of overdiagnosis is a dominant topic in medical literature and discussions. In research that targets overdiagnosis, medicalisation is often presented as the societal and individual burden of unnecessary medical expansion. In this way, the focus lies on the influence of medicine on society, neglecting the possible influence of society on medicine. In this perspective, we aim to provide a novel insight into the influence of society and the societal context on medicine, in particularly with regard to medicalisation and overdiagnosis.

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Journal title

volume 5  issue 11

pages  619- 622

publication date 2016-11-01

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