[Sex, gender and health: developments in scientific research]

The feminist movement was involved from its start in the struggle for better healthcare for women. The academic discipline 'Women's studies medical sciences', which developed in the 1980's, supported this struggle. Initial points given special attention in this new discipline were the autonomy of the (female) patient, the importance of the psychosocial context of symptoms and the demedicalisation of women's complaints. The focus of research has now shifted from reproductive health to female health during the entire lifespan. Furthermore, research has developed from female health to gender in relation to health, explicitly including men's health and the social constructions of masculinity. The psychosocial context ofgender-related complaints is of importance. Next, the concept 'gender' was replaced by the concept of'diversity', thus facilitating criticism of the ongoing medical concepts of neutrality and universality. In the future, research should be interdisciplinary, with explicit attention for the differences between men and women and the psychosocial context.