Gender-­specific health advice in German journals for homeopathic patients (1880-­2000)

Abstract

Gender‑specific approaches to health advice literature are not yet very common in research into alternative forms of medicine. The present article describes the first results of an explorative study of a sample of German journals for homeopathic patients. The results point to need to replace the thesis suggesting an all‑time critical attitude of organized laypeople towards physicians by a co-competence of patients and doctors. Also the belief in one-sided medicalization of the women’s bodies and minds ought to be put into question, as much of the health communication discussed here concerned men and women alike. Nevertheless, women did play a preferential role in the health discourse along the last 120 years.