Central gender theories in health research – the state of the art

Anne Hammarstrom; Klara Johansson; Ellen Annandale; Christina Ahlgren; Lena Alex; Monica Christianson; Sofia Elwer; Carola Eriksson; Annchristine Fjellman-Wiklund; Kajsa Gilenstam; Per E. Gustafsson; Lisa Harryson; Arja Lehti; Gunilla Stenberg; Petra Verdonk

doi:10.1136/jech-2013-202572

Central gender theories in health research – the state of the art

Anne Hammarstrom, Klara Johansson, Ellen Annandale, Christina Ahlgren, Lena Alex, Monica Christianson, Sofia Elwer, Carola Eriksson, Annchristine Fjellman-Wiklund, Kajsa Gilenstam, Per E. Gustafsson, Lisa Harryson, Arja Lehti, Gunilla Stenberg, Petra Verdonk

Department of Sociology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Despite increasing awareness of the importance of gender perspectives in health science, there is conceptual confusion regarding the meaning and the use of central gender theoretical concepts. We argue that it is essential to clarify how central concepts are used within gender theory and how to apply them to health research. We identify six gender theoretical concepts as central and interlinked—but problematic and ambiguous in health science: sex, gender, intersectionality, embodiment, gender equity and gender equality. Our recommendations are that: the concepts sex and gender can benefit from a gender relational theoretical approach (ie, a focus on social processes and structures) but with additional attention to the interrelations between sex and gender; intersectionality should go beyond additive analyses to study complex intersections between the major factors which potentially influence health and ensure that gendered power relations and social context are included; we need to be aware of the various meanings given to embodiment, which achieve an integration of gender and health and attend to different levels of analyses to varying degrees; and appreciate that gender equality concerns absence of discrimination between women and men while gender equity focuses on women's and men's health needs, whether similar or different. We conclude that there is a constant need to justify and clarify our use of these concepts in order to advance gender theoretical development. Our analysis is an invitation for dialogue but also a call to make more effective use of the knowledge base which has already developed among gender theorists in health sciences in the manner proposed in this paper.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	185-190
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of epidemiology and community health
Volume	68
Issue number	2
Early online date	21 Nov 2013
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2013-202572
Publication status	Published - Feb 2014

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10.1136/jech-2013-202572

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Hammarstrom, A., Johansson, K., Annandale, E., Ahlgren, C., Alex, L., Christianson, M., Elwer, S., Eriksson, C., Fjellman-Wiklund, A., Gilenstam, K., Gustafsson, P. E., Harryson, L., Lehti, A., Stenberg, G., & Verdonk, P. (2014). Central gender theories in health research – the state of the art. Journal of epidemiology and community health, 68(2), 185-190. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2013-202572

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abstract = "Despite increasing awareness of the importance of gender perspectives in health science, there is conceptual confusion regarding the meaning and the use of central gender theoretical concepts. We argue that it is essential to clarify how central concepts are used within gender theory and how to apply them to health research. We identify six gender theoretical concepts as central and interlinked—but problematic and ambiguous in health science: sex, gender, intersectionality, embodiment, gender equity and gender equality. Our recommendations are that: the concepts sex and gender can benefit from a gender relational theoretical approach (ie, a focus on social processes and structures) but with additional attention to the interrelations between sex and gender; intersectionality should go beyond additive analyses to study complex intersections between the major factors which potentially influence health and ensure that gendered power relations and social context are included; we need to be aware of the various meanings given to embodiment, which achieve an integration of gender and health and attend to different levels of analyses to varying degrees; and appreciate that gender equality concerns absence of discrimination between women and men while gender equity focuses on women's and men's health needs, whether similar or different. We conclude that there is a constant need to justify and clarify our use of these concepts in order to advance gender theoretical development. Our analysis is an invitation for dialogue but also a call to make more effective use of the knowledge base which has already developed among gender theorists in health sciences in the manner proposed in this paper.",

author = "Anne Hammarstrom and Klara Johansson and Ellen Annandale and Christina Ahlgren and Lena Alex and Monica Christianson and Sofia Elwer and Carola Eriksson and Annchristine Fjellman-Wiklund and Kajsa Gilenstam and Gustafsson, {Per E.} and Lisa Harryson and Arja Lehti and Gunilla Stenberg and Petra Verdonk",

year = "2014",

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doi = "10.1136/jech-2013-202572",

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Hammarstrom, A, Johansson, K, Annandale, E, Ahlgren, C, Alex, L, Christianson, M, Elwer, S, Eriksson, C, Fjellman-Wiklund, A, Gilenstam, K, Gustafsson, PE, Harryson, L, Lehti, A, Stenberg, G & Verdonk, P 2014, 'Central gender theories in health research – the state of the art', Journal of epidemiology and community health, vol. 68, no. 2, pp. 185-190. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2013-202572

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AU - Hammarstrom, Anne

AU - Johansson, Klara

AU - Annandale, Ellen

AU - Ahlgren, Christina

AU - Alex, Lena

AU - Christianson, Monica

AU - Elwer, Sofia

AU - Eriksson, Carola

AU - Fjellman-Wiklund, Annchristine

AU - Gilenstam, Kajsa

AU - Gustafsson, Per E.

AU - Harryson, Lisa

AU - Lehti, Arja

AU - Stenberg, Gunilla

AU - Verdonk, Petra

PY - 2014/2

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N2 - Despite increasing awareness of the importance of gender perspectives in health science, there is conceptual confusion regarding the meaning and the use of central gender theoretical concepts. We argue that it is essential to clarify how central concepts are used within gender theory and how to apply them to health research. We identify six gender theoretical concepts as central and interlinked—but problematic and ambiguous in health science: sex, gender, intersectionality, embodiment, gender equity and gender equality. Our recommendations are that: the concepts sex and gender can benefit from a gender relational theoretical approach (ie, a focus on social processes and structures) but with additional attention to the interrelations between sex and gender; intersectionality should go beyond additive analyses to study complex intersections between the major factors which potentially influence health and ensure that gendered power relations and social context are included; we need to be aware of the various meanings given to embodiment, which achieve an integration of gender and health and attend to different levels of analyses to varying degrees; and appreciate that gender equality concerns absence of discrimination between women and men while gender equity focuses on women's and men's health needs, whether similar or different. We conclude that there is a constant need to justify and clarify our use of these concepts in order to advance gender theoretical development. Our analysis is an invitation for dialogue but also a call to make more effective use of the knowledge base which has already developed among gender theorists in health sciences in the manner proposed in this paper.

AB - Despite increasing awareness of the importance of gender perspectives in health science, there is conceptual confusion regarding the meaning and the use of central gender theoretical concepts. We argue that it is essential to clarify how central concepts are used within gender theory and how to apply them to health research. We identify six gender theoretical concepts as central and interlinked—but problematic and ambiguous in health science: sex, gender, intersectionality, embodiment, gender equity and gender equality. Our recommendations are that: the concepts sex and gender can benefit from a gender relational theoretical approach (ie, a focus on social processes and structures) but with additional attention to the interrelations between sex and gender; intersectionality should go beyond additive analyses to study complex intersections between the major factors which potentially influence health and ensure that gendered power relations and social context are included; we need to be aware of the various meanings given to embodiment, which achieve an integration of gender and health and attend to different levels of analyses to varying degrees; and appreciate that gender equality concerns absence of discrimination between women and men while gender equity focuses on women's and men's health needs, whether similar or different. We conclude that there is a constant need to justify and clarify our use of these concepts in order to advance gender theoretical development. Our analysis is an invitation for dialogue but also a call to make more effective use of the knowledge base which has already developed among gender theorists in health sciences in the manner proposed in this paper.

U2 - 10.1136/jech-2013-202572

DO - 10.1136/jech-2013-202572

M3 - Article

VL - 68

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JO - Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health

JF - Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health

SN - 0143-005X

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ER -