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Patient preference for genders of health professionals

Author

Listed:
  • Kerssens, Jan J.
  • Bensing, Jozien M.
  • Andela, Margriet G.

Abstract

Preferences for physicians' gender is an obvious and well documented example of considerations of patients' attitudes. But research carried out in this field is rather limited to the domain of family medicine. This article describes preferences for 13 different health professions: surgeons, neurologists, anaesthetists, internists, general practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, hospital and district nurses, home helps, gynaecologists and midwives. Our investigation also concerns the reasons for people's preferences. In February 1993 a self-administered survey was completed and returned by 961 out of 1113 (response 86%) participants of the Dutch Health Care Consumers Panel, a panel resulting from a random sample of Dutch households. On a range of different health professions a varying minority of patients prefer a care provider of a particular gender. There are virtually no sex preferences for the more "instrumental" health professions (e.g. surgeons, anaesthetists). Gender preferences are stronger for those health professions more likely engaged in intimate and psychosocial health problems (e.g. gynaecologists and GPs). Preferences expressed do not relate to sex stereotypes of gender differences in instrumentality, expertise, efficiency, consultation length, and personal interest. The majority of persons who prefer female health professionals indicate that they talk more easily to females than to males, and feel more at ease during (internal) examination by females than by males. Persons who prefer male health professionals use the same reasons in favour of males. The discussion relates to gender differences in the communication style of male and female physicians.

Suggested Citation

  • Kerssens, Jan J. & Bensing, Jozien M. & Andela, Margriet G., 1997. "Patient preference for genders of health professionals," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 44(10), pages 1531-1540, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:44:y:1997:i:10:p:1531-1540
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    Cited by:

    1. Méndez, Susan J. & Scott, Anthony & Zhang, Yuting, 2021. "Gender differences in physician decisions to adopt new prescription drugs," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    2. Luther, Louisa & Benkenstein, Martin & Rummelhagen, Katja, 2016. "Enhancing patients' hospital satisfaction by taking advantage of interpersonal similarity," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 50-58.
    3. Christen, Regula Nelly & Alder, Judith & Bitzer, Johannes, 2008. "Gender differences in physicians' communicative skills and their influence on patient satisfaction in gynaecological outpatient consultations," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(7), pages 1474-1483, April.
    4. Li, JingJing & Godager, Geir & Wang, Jian, 2016. "Does physician gender influence the provision of medical care? An experimental study," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2016:6, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    5. Göttgens, Irene & Modderkolk, Linda & Jansen, Corine & Darweesh, Sirwan K.L. & Bloem, Bastiaan R. & Oertelt-Prigione, Sabine, 2023. "The salience of gender in the illness experiences and care preferences of people with Parkinson's disease," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    6. Susan Mayson & Anne Bardoel, 2021. "Sustaining a career in general practice: Embodied work, inequality regimes, and turnover intentions of women working in general practice," Gender, Work and Organization, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(3), pages 1133-1151, May.

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