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Gender and cultural issues in psychiatric nosological classification systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 May 2016

Tanya van de Water ,
Sharain Suliman  and
Soraya Seedat
Tanya van de Water
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
Sharain Suliman
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
Soraya Seedat*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
*
*Address for correspondence: Soraya Seedat, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, PO Box 241, Cape Town 8000, South Africa. (Email: sseedat@sun.ac.za)
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Abstract

Much has changed since the two dominant mental health nosological systems, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), were first published in 1900 and 1952, respectively. Despite numerous modifications to stay up to date with scientific and cultural changes (eg, exclusion of homosexuality as a disorder) and to improve the cultural sensitivity of psychiatric diagnoses, the ICD and DSM have only recently renewed attempts at harmonization. Previous nosological iterations demonstrate the oscillation in the importance placed on the biological focus, highlighting the tension between a gender- and culture-free nosology (solely biological) and a contextually relevant understanding of mental illness. In light of the release of the DSM 5, future nosological systems, such as the ICD 11, scheduled for release in 2017, and the Research Development Criteria (RDoC), can learn from history and apply critiques. This article aims to critically consider gender and culture in previous editions of the ICD and DSM to inform forthcoming classifications.

Keywords

culturegenderpsychiatric nosology
Type
Review Articles
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 21 , Special Issue 4: Nosology in DSM5 vs. ICD , August 2016 , pp. 334 - 340
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2016 

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