The public's image of doctors, dentists, and pharmacists.
The basic purpose of this study was to evaluate the public's image of three health professions. Q questionnaire was administered by telephone to a random sample of 150 residents of a southern metropolitan area. Respondents were asked to evaluate seven professions on (1) social standing (prestige), (2) honest and ethical standards, (3) importance to society and nation, and (4) interesting and challenging occupation. Overall findings indicate that doctors rated significantly higher than dentists, and pharmacists in all areas except honest and ethical standards. The three groups were rated equally on this factor. Cross tabulations of respondents by income, age, education, and sex revealed that there were no significant differences in the ratings of these groups on the basis of socio-economic characteristics of respondents except for pharmacists. Male respondents rated pharmacists significantly lower than female respondents.
Stevens
R E
RE
College of Business Administration, Northeast Louisiana University, Monroe 71209.
Lawrence
L W
LW
Loudon
D
D
D001294:Attitude to Health; D003258:Consumer Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003815:Dentists / Q000592:standards*; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000592:standards*; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards*; D011639:Public Opinion; D011641:Public Relations; D012923:Social Class; D012945:Social Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population