J Korean Community Nurs.  1996 Jun;7(1):129-137.

A critic review on the 'medical knowledge of menopausal syndrome'

• Park EO

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the medicalizing process of menopanse with literature review, and then is to explore the knowledge of 'menopausal syndrome' critically, focused on four critics on the biomedical model which were suggested by Mishler. Although menopause is a natural biological phenomenon, the view of many medical researchers and practitioners is that menopause is a disease. After synthetic estrogen was developel in 1938, physicians did agree on two basic assumptions : menopausal women should be managed by physicians, and medical intervention should be given. Menopouse was defined as a deficiency disease (estrogen difficiency) by Wilson in 60's and is redefined as a cause of disease(for example, osteoporosis, heart disease) at the present. But the other view of non-medical researcher is that 'menopausal syndrome' as a disease is constructed medically. It was reported that Only hot flush and sweating of physical symptoms experienced by menopausal women, were associated with menopause. Symptoms of menopausal syndrome are also related with symptons of aging. So, it cann't conclude that menopausal syndrome is resulted from menopause, and it cann't be only explained that menopausal syndrome is related causally to estrogen deficiency, and only treatment by ERT or HRT is best relevant. It cann't assume that menopausal syndrome is a common phenomenon to all menopause women, because culture affected on women's experience of menopause.

MeSH Terms

Aging
Biological Phenomena
Deficiency Diseases
Estrogens
Female
Heart
Humans
Menopause
Osteoporosis
Sweat
Sweating
Estrogens