Endometriose mellem konstruktion, politik og løsning: Et kvalitativt casestudie af problemkonstruktionen og løsningsforslagene i håndteringen af endometriose
Oversat titel
Endometriosis Between Construction, Politics, and Solutions: A Qualitative Case Study of the Problem Construction and Proposed Solutions in the Handling of Endometriosis
Forfattere
Semester
4. semester
Uddannelse
Udgivelsesår
2025
Afleveret
2025-08-08
Antal sider
110
Abstract
How is it possible that a disease affecting up to one in ten individuals with a uterus has been met with decades of silence, delayed diagnoses and political inaction, before only recently emerging on the political agenda? This thesis explores how endometriosis is constructed as a problem in Denmark and what kinds of solutions are proposed by key actors in the field. Through a case study of two symbolic arenas, the Danish Parliament’s Health Committee and the Alliance for Women’s Health, the thesis discovers how different understandings and interests shape the construction of the disease as a political problem, as well as its position within the political landscape. The thesis applies systems theory, (neo)institutional theory, and New Public Management as a theoretical framework for the analysis. Through a social constructivist approach and an abductive research strategy, political documents are analysed to understand how endometriosis is constructed, as a matter of gender equality, a medical challenge, and a research gap. Actors such as the Endometriosis Association, the FEMaLe research group and the Alliance for Women’s Health offer different solutions ranging from the establishment of knowledge centres and public awareness campaigns to demands for cross-sectoral organisations and systemic change. Furthermore, the thesis has discussed the enhancement of social work practice in both academic research and professional practice contexts. The thesis demonstrates how the struggle for recognition, attention, and action unfolds in a complex intersection of politics, health, and social justice, and highlights why the expertise of social work must play a central role in shaping future solutions.
Emneord