Reconceptualizing gender in physician-patient relationships.
In this paper, I propose that existing research on how women physicians relate to patients differently from men might benefit from a reconceptualization of gender. Toward this end, I present an ethnomethodological perspective on gender as an accomplishment and show how it contrasts with conventional perspectives on 'sex differences' and 'sex roles'. I review results of existing research on women and men physicians' relationships with their patients, highlighting the inadequacies of conventional perspectives to address this topic. Finally, I recast results of my own research on 'doctors' orders' in an effort to illustrate the utility of this perspective to research on gender's effects on the physician-patient relationship.
West
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Sociology Board, Stevenson College, University of California, Santa Cruz 95064.
D000328:Adult; D001318:Authoritarianism; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000523:psychology*