A sociological review and application of Illich's theory of iatrogenesis with specific reference to problems concerning the aged

Abstract

Illich, a critic of the medical profession in industrial societies, researched the "damage done" by the medical establishment on three levels. This study presents an application of Illich's three-level theory of iatrogenesis to a sample of elderly people in old-age homes in and around Pretoria. Fifty in-depth interviews were conducted with old-age home residents. In the focus on clinical iatrogenesis, the aspect of defenceless patients was investigated. With regard to social iatrogenesis, focus was on the interpretation of attitudes revealing an increased medical dependency. Cultural iatrogenesis, which involves the influence of values and norms on thinking patterns, is investigated in terms of the impact of institutionalisation on the autonomy, independence and personal responsibility of residents. Illich's solution to the problem of medicalisation is to be found in the de-bureaucratisation and de-industrialisation of society. Based on the assumptions of critical theory, the emancipation of the individual is suggested as a basis of Illich's proposed structural societal changes