Carolyn E. Fiorillo
"The problems women experience in the health care system reflect the problems of the system in general. Women, however, are impacted on a scale that is disproportionate to their numbers. Whether you are talking about unnecessary surgery, inappropriate treatment or testing, lack of preventive care, lack of consideration in research, allocation of dollars, or simply being milked for dollars by physicians, women are mistreated on a major scale," states Dr. John M. Smith, Gynecologist. "They experience these abuses far more frequently than their male counterparts, regardless of economic or work status or any other factor. Gender alone is the determinant.... (42)
"One of the conclusions of the AMA report of the Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs was that: 'Gender bias may not necessarily manifest itself as overt discrimination based on sex. Rather, social attitudes, including stereotypes, prejudices and other evaluations based on gender roles may play themselves out in a variety of subtle ways. For instance, there is evidence that physicians are more likely to perceive women's maladies than men's as the result of emotionality. Also, many researchers have noted the greater utilization of health care services by women than men and have attributed this difference to 'overanxiousness' or overutilization on the part of women without supporting evidence.' In other words, the prejudice is there, and it is real and it means that women are treated differently by male physicians." (43)