title: Doctor's perception of doctor-patient relationships in emergency departments: What roles do gender and ethnicity play?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Emergency departments continuously provide medical treatment on a walk-in basis. Several studies investigated the patient's perception of the doctor-patient relationship, but few have asked doctors about their views. Furthermore, the influence of the patient's ethnicity and gender on the doctor's perception remains largely unanswered.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on data collated in three gynaecology (GYN)/internal medicine (INT) emergency departments in Berlin, Germany, we evaluated the impact of the patient's gender and ethnicity on the doctors' satisfaction with the course of the treatment they provided. Information was gathered from 2.429 short questionnaires completed by doctors and the medical records of the corresponding patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient's ethnicity had a significant impact on the doctors' satisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship. Logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio (OR) for physician satisfaction was significantly lower for patients of Turkish origin (OR = 2.6 INT and 5.5 GYN) than for those of German origin. The main reasons stated were problems with communication and a perceived lack of urgency for emergency treatment. The odds ratios for dissatisfaction due to a lack of language skills were 4.48 (INT) and 6.22 (GYN), and those due to perceived lack of urgency for emergency treatment were 0.75 (INT) and 0.63 (GYN). Sex differences caused minor variation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that good communication despite language barriers is crucial in providing medical care that is satisfactory to both patient and doctors, especially in emergency situations. Therefore the use of professional interpreters for improved communication and the training of medical staff for improved intercultural competence are essential for the provision of adequate health care in a multicultural setting.
authors.affiliation: Berlin Institute of Gender in Medicine (GiM), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Luisenstr, 65, 10117 Berlin, Germany. birgit.babitsch@charite.de
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Babitsch
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: Theda
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Borde
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: David
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology