[The role, power and health of women]

Women's health issues, often addressed together with reproduction and children's health under the broad based "women and children's health" category, receive inadequate attention from the medical system. In retrospect, the social construct of the female role has been grounded in the physiological nature of sex. Thus, women are often treated based on their stereotypical roles (e.g., mother, daughter-in-law, wife, daughter) rather than on their needs as distinct individuals. Although modern society was built by women and men together, patriarchal values continue to relegate the social status and value of women to that of assistant. Social opportunity remains significantly different for men and women, with discrimination persisting. The status and value of women are often ignored in both the public and private sectors. While status and power influences the health of women, such mechanisms are rarely discussed in the medical field. This paper discusses how women's social status has been formed by social and economic development, how it has been ignored, and the influence of such developments on women's health.