Doing Harm

By: Maya Dusenbery

Narrated by: Dara Rosenberg

Length: 13 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

In this shocking, hard-hitting exposé in the tradition of Naomi Klein and Barbara Ehrenreich, the editorial director of Feministing.com reveals how inadequate, inappropriate, and even dangerous treatment threatens women’s lives and well-being.

Editor of the award-winning site Feministing.com, Maya Dusenbery brings together scientific and sociological research, interviews with experts within and outside the medical establishment, and personal stories from women across the country to provide the first comprehensive, accessible look at how sexism in medicine harms women today.

Dusenbery reveals how conditions that disproportionately affect women, such as autoimmune diseases, chronic pain conditions, and Alzheimer’s disease, are neglected and woefully under-researched. “Contested” diseases, such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, that are 70 to 80 percent female-dominated, are so poorly understood that they have not yet been fully accepted as “real” conditions by the whole of the profession. Meanwhile, despite a wealth of evidence showing the impact of biological difference between the sexes in everything from drug responses to symptoms to risk factors for various diseases - even the symptoms of a heart attack - medicine continues to take a one-size-fits-all approach: that of a 155-pound white man.

In addition, women are negatively impacted by the biases and stereotypes that dismiss them as “chronic complainers”, leading to long delays - often years long - to get diagnosed. The consequences are catastrophic. Offering a clear-eyed explanation of the root causes of this insidious and entrenched bias and laying out its effects, Doing Harm will change the way we look at health care for women.

©2018 Maya Dusenbery (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A must read for women and those who love women

This book is an incredibly eye opening journey of medicine and women through the years. Women experience things differently than men and many diseases are inexplicably higher in women. Yet women are not always diagnosed or treated properly and often spend years simply looking to be heard. This book intelligently sheds light on this proven through both scientific studies and anecdotal illustrations. As a woman with chronic illness, this book made me feel heard and validated and fired me up to want to do more.

Essential Reading

Dusenbery's exploration of the failures of western medicine in accounting for women in health research and healthcare provision should be mandatory reading in every medical school, PA program and nursing program. The disparities in how we address medical concerns that appear to impact men less often than women hinder medicine and unnecessarily remove potentially productive citizens from our workforce. Whether you are interested in clinical care, interested in reducing reliance on disability, or simply know a woman who you think deserves to get medical care if she gets severely I'll, I wholeheartedly recommend you read this book immediately.

I have no particular notes on the performance of the audiobook. The reader did a solid job, but I generally find non-fiction audiobooks a little dry. This was consistent with what I would anticipate considering my personal preferences: very professional, but the reading didn't seem to breathe life into the work beyond what I would attribute to the author's spectacular reporting.

Powerful

Every woman should read this book. Very empowering and supportive for women’s health. Thank you.

An important read

Everyone should read this! This book is important for the medical community and every woman who's ever felt gaslighted by their doctors.

Driven narration of a very revealing book

Dara Rosenberg truly brings this text to life. I was struggling to read my physical copy so I starting the audible version and it made all the difference. Not only was the narration very driven, but I learned so much from this book. I am one of these women who have taken a decade to get a diagnosis, so I've had to do plenty of my own research, but there is more in this book than I ever could have known about why women go untreated and how symptoms vary between the sexes. There is something so sobering about reading the history of how women have had to claw their way to real care and realizing that, if I had been born just a few decades earlier, I would've be diagnosed with hysteria.

Validates everything I empirically know

This book has touched me in a number of ways. From personal relationships to co-workers, acquaintances, and my own life, the information and experiences, through chapter after chapter, validates everything I've heard and everything I've experienced in the medical system.

There is a lot of technical jargon, so I gave a lower score. Some of it is harder to through; however, all the work presented seems necessary and in harmony with the story. Also, the reader is a bit robotic in her cadence. I fixed that by slightly increasing the speed. All in all, very worth it.

Incredibly informative and a must read

I have a few female friends with chronic illness that have struggled through the medical system, so I already knew that we definitely have some issues when it comes to the medical system. But holy hell it goes even deeper than I thought. This book is filled with stats and stories that show how deeply flawed our medical system is when it comes to women’s health.

The one that got me the most was her chapter on heart attacks and chest pains. I could not believe how many women get turned away IN THE MIDDLE OF A HEART ATTACK because they don’t exhibit male symptoms. Like I can’t even imagine what it would feel like to go to a doctor, get turned away, and then get told later “oh yeah, you had a heart attack earlier.” Like what the hell?!

It makes me angry how doctors and researchers are letting their egos get in the way of helping women. The fact that doctors would rather chalk it up to “hysteria” or “somatoform disorders” than actually looking into finding the cause of their pain or issue is astounding. It was interesting to hear Dusenbery talk about how few doctors will admit or even know that they’re wrong. She brings up an example where less than 1% of the doctors in this conference say they’ve ever misdiagnosed someone. It’s typically because they never find out that the person they diagnosed with a somatoform disorder rather than the real disorder never comes back. Which frankly, if it was me, I’d be busting into that doctor’s office with my diagnosed and yelling about how much he sucks lol.

It was also surprising to me how many female nurses are referenced as shaming other women. Like I guess I shouldn’t be surprised but like, support other women y’all!?! There’s one example where when a doctor gives a diagnose, the patient asks if it could be something else. The doctor says no and leaves basically. But then the female nurse is like “You shouldn’t question him. He doesn’t like that.” I would’ve been like “I don’t a f*ck what he likes.” But that’s the privilege of being a male I guess. It would never happen to me like that.

The piece on how the internet has changed the game for women was also eye opening. I’m always a fan of the internet (and yes, I know there’s some parts that aren’t great) but the fact that women could do some research online and find others like them, and finally feel like they aren’t alone is so touching. And I like that Dusenbery brings this up, but also points out that the fact is we shouldn’t need it to be this way.

I will say while the stats are important, it made it a little dry at times because of how statistic heavy it is. There were also a couple times that I felt she kept repeating the same thing. I also felt she could’ve discussed fatphobia and transphobia a little more. I know it’s the main point of the book, and I like that she’s very upfront about that in the beginning. But I think this idea of how no matter what is wrong with you, it’s going to be blamed on your weight or your trans-ness. Like even a broken arm is the example she gives. I would’ve loved to talk more about that.

But I greatly appreciate how often she talks about how the issues are impacting women of color but they are often even more stigmatized in the medical system. Such an incredibly needed discussion. Overall, I think every medical school in the country needs to make a course on bias in medicine and this book should be on the curriculum. Definitely pick it up. Also it was great on audio.

A book for all those with chronic illnesses

I’ve had symptoms that were undiagnosed my whole life. I had a significant TBI at age 20 that resulted in a skull fracture and 2 subdural hematomas and a severe concussion. That’s when I finally realized how clueless doctors are, even about a condition so common. I finally investigated the symptoms that were blown off all my life and all the new ones that resulted. I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and several comorbidities. I just learned the cause of my deep aching leg pain I’ve had for 20+ years was hip dysplasia needing surgery. My migraines were Chiari. This book is spot on and confirmed many things I started to notice. I will be recommending to most everyone I know, but especially those who are chronically ill. I’m grateful it was written.

Excellent evidence-based assessment of women’s health gaps

Methodical, clear explanation of key areas where our healthcare system fails to address women’s health issues. It includes powerful statistics and stories and it is hard to walk away unmoved. To have this pattern of making medical diagnosis and care decisions based on data coming from all white male clinical trials that ignore sex differences for decades, of not teaching women’s health and sex differences in medical school, and of doctors not taking symptoms seriously when communicated by female patients continue is reprehensible. This must stop! Hope all who read feel empowered to speak up and change the system one person at a time.

One of the most important books ever written

As an endometriosis patient I wish I could give a copy of this book to every doctor I have ever seen, my entire family and both my close friends and all the friends I have lost in my journey. Listening to this book was one of the most validating experiences of my life, because I was finally hearing the vast majority of research I had come across in the last ten years clearly and thoughtfully explained with objective research and patients first hand experiences Thank you Maya Dusenbery for putting together this resource, I will do my part to spreads it's message and use it to push for change in the medical community by empowering patients to demand better.