Why Do Some Illnesses Get More Attention Than Others?

Walk into any pharmacy or hospital waiting room, and you will likely see pamphlets on heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. These conditions are widespread and deadly, but they also dominate public health conversations, funding, and research.

So where does that leave rare diseases like scleroderma?

This question is not just about science. It is about society. Medical anthropology teaches us that what we focus on in medicine often reflects our culture’s values, priorities, and even politics. In other words, health is not just biological. It is social.

Let’s take an example. Conditions like Alzheimer's and breast cancer have powerful advocacy groups, awareness months, merchandise, and widespread recognition. But others like lupus, fibromyalgia, or scleroderma often go undiscussed, misunderstood, or even misdiagnosed for years.

Why?

Sometimes, it is about numbers and how many people are affected. But often, it is about visibility and narrative. Diseases that affect daily functioning in obvious ways, or that can be framed in compelling stories, receive more attention. Chronic illnesses that fluctuate or appear invisible to others, such as autoimmune diseases, struggle to receive the same empathy.

There is also a gender gap in medical attention. Many lesser-known autoimmune conditions disproportionately affect women, yet they are under-researched. In fact, studies have shown that women’s pain is more likely to be dismissed by doctors, especially when the symptoms are vague or do not fit neatly into a diagnostic box.

As a student of both science and culture, I believe this is where medicine needs to evolve. Not just in how we treat illness, but in how we talk about it.

Public awareness is not just a feel-good initiative. It shapes funding, speeds up diagnoses, reduces stigma, and drives innovation. That is why speaking about underrepresented diseases is not optional. It is essential.

So the next time you hear about a condition you do not recognize, do not scroll past. Click, read, ask. Because awareness is the first step to change, and every illness deserves to be seen.