always the symptoms, never the cause

For my image of my research, I wanted to focus on the lack of holistic provider care for women experiencing chronic health concerns. My research in patient-provider communication has exposed an alarming gap; women are not being treated for their overarching concerns but rather their symptoms alone, if they’re treated at all. This type of care is described as disenfranchising and has severe implications on how people go about getting proper medical treatment. My focus of research is primarily on gastrointestinal health experiences, so this image shows my own “treating the symptoms” I have experienced. Not a single medication pictured here is for a holistic health experience, but rather the assumption that women’s chronic health concerns are “all in their head.”