Do No Harm: How Doctors Might Have A Double Standard of Care

The Hippocratic Oath considered the definitive ethical code of conduct for physicians, was

attributed to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who was considered the “Father of

Medicine.” Back in the day (460-370 BCE), societal norms established restrictions on women

that prevented them from entering the medical profession. Thinkers like Aristotle perpetuated the idea that women were biologically and mentally incapable of possessing the intellectual rigor required in certain professions, including medicine. In addition, women were considered too emotional or hysterical to effectively understand complex medical issues. With beliefs like these, it’s not surprising that women’s health issues were marginalized in a society dominated by male perspectives.

Many clinical trials excluded women until the 1990s, leading to a lack of

understanding about how conditions manifest differently in women. Does this gender bias

continue to influence medical treatment in the 21st century?

Numerous studies and patient testimonies suggest that women’s symptoms are often dismissed or minimized. There is a huge disparity in the pain management of men and women. While men’s pain is often taken at face value, women are more likely to be told their discomfort is psychological, stress-related, or exaggerated. They may not be outright called hysterical, but the inference is still there. Heart attacks are a significant cause of mortality in women. Many times, their symptoms are dismissed as anxiety. On the other hand, some doctors believe that women can better handle pain than men because they are used to internal pain because of menstruation and childbirth, so subsequently, their pain is trivialized.

Studies have shown that even the diagnosis of bleeding disorders is affected by gender bias. A study presented at the American Society of Hematology in 2023 stated that the average time of diagnosis of mild hemophilia in females was seven years longer than that of male patients.

According to a survey from the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association

(AARDA), 62% of people with an autoimmune disease had been labeled “chronic complainers”by doctors or told they were too concerned with their health. The interesting fact about this revelation is that 75% of people with autoimmune conditions are women. This dismissive attitude disproportionately affects women.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports women are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression as men, and the CDC states that 16.5% of women compared to 9% of men are prescribed antidepressants. Is that because men’s symptoms are attributed to physical or

behavioral issues, or that men are taught that it’s not masculine to admit to emotional distress?

Even if it’s acknowledged that men suffering from chronic pain experience mental health

difficulties, doctors are more likely to describe men as stoic or strong, perpetuating the myth that real men keep on trucking even if they have just stepped on a grenade.

Gender bias harms the health of men. The positive prejudice that men are strong and brave can cause men to avoid seeking medical help because they are afraid that this is a sign of weakness. In addition, men are hesitant to seek medical help for mental health issues due to stigma or cultural expectations of emotional stoicism.

Maybe it’s time for some doctors to take seriously the adage “Do No Harm” to any patient. Bias has no place in the exam room. Women’s voices should no longer be dismissed and men shouldn’t have to act like Superman. When doctors fail to listen, the harm is undeniable