Pharmacist or physician: age differences in satisfaction with medical advice.
Two studies examined predictors of medical care satisfaction in communities in Eastern Canada. Both studies focused on how the roles of pharmacists and physicians are perceived by adults of different ages. Using a survey methodology, Study 1 demonstrated that middle-aged adults, older adults, and community pharmacists differ in the extent to which they rate pharmacists as being important members of the health care team. Specifically, community members value pharmacists as health care providers, and this is especially true for older adults. Using an experimental paradigm, Study 2 examined ratings of medical interaction scenarios, ratings that varied as a function of kind of health professional (pharmacist vs. physician) and type of advice (directive vs. non-directive). Results suggest that older adults may have a more complex set of expectations about their health care interactions than do younger adults and that, for older adults, the factors that determine satisfaction differ across the professions being evaluated.
Gould
Odette N
ON
Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, 49A York Street, Sackville, NB, E4L 1C7, Canada. ogould@mta.ca
Wasylkiw
Louise
L
Rogers
Erin E
EE
MacPherson
Miranda
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D003657:Decision Making; D004346:Drug Information Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010595:Pharmacists; D010820:Physicians; D024382:Professional Role; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires