Re: OB: Green Journal Gender Study
From: Deborah Wage (wagedj@home.com)
Thu Apr 29 17:39:14 1999
Not to mention that the participants were voluntary and aware they were
being recorded.
>From what I understood, the men talked for longer periods and spent more
time explaining and giving information as well as affirming the interaction
("If I hear you correctly", etc) while the women physicians engaged in more
social exchanges and laughter.
I think that those are both things that each gender would do if they were
consciously or subconsciously attempting to 'do their best'. Men gave out
more information and women got friendlier.
--
Deborah Wage,FNP,CNM
"Americans will always do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the
other possibilities."
Winston Churchill
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry R. Glazerman, M.D. <glazerman@enter.net>
To: Multiple recipients of list OB-GYN-L <ob-gyn-l@talk.obgyn.net>
Date: Thursday, April 29, 1999 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: OB: Green Journal Gender Study
>Ashley:
>
>I read this study today, and agree that it has major problems. I'm not sure
>your comments really apply, though, given that the patients involved SELF
>SELECTED the physicians they saw. In other words the patients who were
>"less satisfied" with the male physician had chosen to see the male
>physician, and the patients who were "more satisfied" with the female also
>chose the female.
>
>Of course what the study doesn't look at is practice composition - i.e.
>were the male physicians in practices with all males, the females in
>practices with all females, etc. What options did the patients have?
>
>I think if we look at this paper carefully, it would be relatively easy to
>totally tear it to shreds.
>
>Larry Glazerman
>
>At 11:56 PM 4/28/99 -0500, you wrote:
>>Jeff-
>>
>>I'm going to read the article tomorrow. In the meantime, this small
>>study brings to mind something that I have considered for a long time. I
>>think that some patients will always be biased towards (or against)
>>certain "classes" of physicians. For example, some patients prefer male
>>doctors, others prefer female. When asked why, the answers are often
>>vague.
>>
>>My wife practices internal medicine, and it infuriates her when female
>>patients come in and expect to "chat" about their nails, which store
>>they prefer, and who does their hair. (Her male partners often have
>>male patients that want to "bond" by talking golf, etc., at the expense
>>of discussing important medical information). She's trying to help them
>>lower their blood pressure, stop smoking, and work on their blood
>>sugars. However, the patients invariably leave thrilled with their new
>>"lady doctor" even if they do not always listen to her medical
>>information or advice. Susie thinks that even if she was a horrible
>>doctor some patients would not care, and would like her because of her
>>gender. Perhaps some folks will be biased towards a certain group (in
>>this case, female doctors) no matter how hard male doctors try. I have
>>certainly seen this bias work against doctors, for example when patients
>>see an (excellent) foreign physician, but report to me that they did not
>>follow her or his advice because the doctor was not originally from the
>>US. In a small study like this, this type of bias will stand out.
>>
>>Ashley
>>
>>--
>>David Ashley Hill, M.D.
>>Associate Director
>>Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
>>Florida Hospital Family Practice Residency
>>Orlando, FL
>>http://home.mpinet.net/dahmd
>>
>>The above is intended for general medical education,
>>and is not for specific medical advice.
>>I apologize, but I am unable to answer personal e-mail
>>due to time constraints.
>
