Introduction
Whereas several legislations have been instituted for equal opportunities and greater freedom for women, sex stereotyping is still apparent in health care practice. Health care providers and patients have reported observations and perceptions on various types of sex-role stereotyping of women. Sex-role stereotyping occurs because of negative attitudes or beliefs about women patients, female behaviour, female physiology, and the need for different standards of health care for men and women (Ramsden &Friendship, 2007). In addition to the above, the other three bases of sex-role stereotyping on women takes place because of “sex-role conflicts, male-dominant female-subordinate role play, and leadership capacity” (Bayley & Turcke, 1992).
Sex Stereotyping
Research articles have pointed out that physicians, social workers and other health care providers make their judgments based on the behaviour, physiology and requirements of the patients on the basis of sex stereotyping. Moore, Conine and Laster (1980) illustrate that “stereotyping has been associated with observed differences in health care, such as more extensive and thorough patient histories, laboratory tests, and examinations for men than for women.” The dilemmas that face women patients in their need for emergency medical services are therefore real.
Case Study Scenario
In the scenario presented above, the women were denied emergency intravenous medication [analgesia] because ED staff do not attend to medical complications of women. This is a true demonstration of sex stereotyping because the patients would have been handled differently and of course better if they were men. It can therefore be discerned from the readings that sex stereotyping is an inherent part of and parcel of the health care system that must be recognized and dealt with forthrightly.
References
Bayley, E. W. and Turcke, A. L. (1992). A Comprehensive curriculum for trauma nursing. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Moore, P., Conine, T. and Laster, T. (1980). Sex-Role Stereotyping in Health Care. Journal of Physical Therapy. Vol. 60, No. 1.
Ramsden, C. and Friendship, J. (2007). Emergency and Trauma Nursing. Australia: Elsevier.