Medicalization and Social Control
Annual Review of SociologyPublished 1 August 1992
Peter Conrad
Citations1,697
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score5.26
SNIP6.42
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Abstract
This essay examines the major conceptual issues concerning medicalization and social control, emphasizing studies published on the topic since 1980. Several issues are considered: the emergence, definition, contexts, process, degree, range, consequences, critiques, and future of medicalization and demedicalization. Also discussed are the relation of medicalization and social control, the effect of changes in the medical profession and organization on medicalization, and dilemmas and lacunae in medicalization research.
Keywords
PsychologyArts and Humanities
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