The Invisible Health Care System through the Lens of Feminist Bioethics

This article examines the issue of informal health care, defined as unpaid care provided to dependent persons by relatives or close individuals. These activities constitute an “invisible health care system,” essential for sustaining health systems yet lacking institutional, social, and economic recognition. From a feminist bioethics perspective, the paper analyzes the ideological and material foundations of the feminization of care, showing how sexism and the sexual division of labor assign women the naturalized role of caregivers. It explores the physical, emotional, and social consequences of informal caregiving, particularly its negative impact on caregivers’ health, and discusses the “caregiver burnout syndrome.” Finally, it presents policy recommendations to recognize, value, and support informal caregivers, including the collection of updated data, the integration of formal and informal health systems, and the implementation of training and support programs. A feminist bioethical approach makes it possible to reveal this hidden system and to promote a fairer distribution of care, acknowledging its structural dimension and its central role in sustaining life.

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