Episode 67: Ms Marvel / Women, Pain and Medicine

Doctor Vs Comedian

Today, Asif and Ali discuss the new Disney Plus / Marvel TV show Ms. Marvel (0:53).. The guys start off by discussing the pronunciation of ‘Kamala’ in the show and highlight how she is the first South Asian and Muslim hero to headline her own show. They discuss the history of the character and the key individuals involved in her creation, G. Willow Wilson and Sana Sana Amanat. They discuss the muslim showrunners and directors of the show, the terrific cast and how Asif thinks Ali should have been cast as the father in the show. Then they both give their thoughts on the series. Later, based on a listener's suggestion, Ali asks Asif about how and why doctors treat men and women’s pain differently (27:54). Asif discusses the literature which suggests that women get less effective pain treatment and are often given anti-anxiety medication instead of pain meds. He then discusses the evidence going back over 20 years which demonstrates this clear bias regarding pain, gender and medicine. Finally he discusses ways on how both patients and physicians can address this “pain gap”.

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Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

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Show Notes:

• What You Need to Know Before Seeing ‘Ms. Marvel’: https://www.theringer.com/marvel-cinematic-universe/2022/6/6/23155542/ms-marvel-kamala-khan-origin-story-disney
• All-New Marvel NOW! Q&A;: Ms. Marvel: https://web.archive.org/web/20131107052245/http://marvel.com/news/story/21466/all-new_marvel_now_qa_ms_marvel
• Women and pain: Disparities in experience and treatment: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/women-and-pain-disparities-in-experience-and-treatment-2017100912562
• How Doctors Take Women’s Pain Less Seriously: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/10/emergency-room-wait-times-sexism/410515
• Researcher says women less likely to get painkillers: https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/03/11/Researcher-says-women-less-likely-to-get-painkillers/2047605595600/
• Gender Biases in Adult Ratings of Pediatric Pain: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02739615.2014.849918
• Women Feel Pain More Intensely Than Men Do: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/women-feel-pain-more-intensely/
• Womens' pain not taken as seriously as mens' pain: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210406164124.htm
• Women’s pain is routinely underestimated, and gender stereotypes are to blame – new research: https://theconversation.com/womens-pain-is-routinely-underestimated-and-gender-stereotypes-are-to-blame-new-research-158599
• Gender Biases in Estimation of Others’ Pain: https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(21)00035-3/fulltext
• “Brave Men” and “Emotional Women”: A Theory-Guided Literature Review on Gender Bias in Health Care and Gendered Norms towards Patients with Chronic Pain: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5845507/
• The Gender Pain Gap: Why Women's Pain Isn't Taken as Seriously: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/a39763690/gender-pain-gap-explained/
• If Men Could Menstruate: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23293691.2019.1619050