Iatrogenesis

Ancient Greek painting in a vase, showing a physician (iatros) bleeding a patient

Iatrogenesis is the causation of a disease, a harmful complication, or other ill effect by any medical activity, including diagnosis, intervention, error, or negligence.[1][2][3] First used in this sense in 1924,[1] the term was introduced to sociology in 1976 by Ivan Illich, alleging that industrialized societies impair quality of life by overmedicalizing life.[4] Iatrogenesis may thus include mental suffering via medical beliefs or a practitioner's statements.[4][5][6] Some iatrogenic events are obvious, like amputation of the wrong limb, whereas others, like drug interactions, can evade recognition. In a 2013 estimate, about 20 million negative effects from treatment had occurred globally.[7] In 2013, an estimated 142,000 persons died from adverse effects of medical treatment, up from an estimated 94,000 in 1990.[8]

  1. ^ a b "Iatrogenic", Merriam-Webster.com, Merriam-Webster, Inc., accessed 27 Jun 2020.
  2. ^ "John O. Barr & Timothy L. Kauffman, "Iatrogenesis in older adults", in Timothy L. Kauffman, Ron Scott, John O. Barr & Michael L. Moran, eds., A Comprehensive Guide to Geriatric Rehabilitation, 3rd edn. (Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, 2014)". doi:10.1016/B978-0-7020-4588-2.00056-5. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ "Intervention Mistakes and How to Avoid Them". Addiction Helper. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b "iatrogenesis", A Dictionary of Sociology, Encyclopedia.com. updated 31 May 2020.
  5. ^ David Kuhl, What Dying People Want: Practical Wisdom for the End of Life (New York: PublicAffairs, 2002), p 55.
  6. ^ Paul F. Lazarsfeld, "Working with Merton", in Lewis A. Cosar, ed., The Idea of Social Structure: Papers in Honor of Robert K. Merton (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 2012 / New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1975), indexing "iatrogenesis", esp. pp. 328–329.
  7. ^ "Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013". Lancet. 386 (9995): 743–800. 22 August 2015. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(15)60692-4. PMC 4561509. PMID 26063472.
  8. ^ "Global, regional, and national age-sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013". Lancet. 385 (9963): 117–71. 17 December 2014. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61682-2. PMC 4340604. PMID 25530442.