Author: Adler, SR; McGraw, SA; McKinlay, JB
Abstract: Patients' views of patient-physician interactions-particularly the perspectives of older, ethnically diverse women-are poorly understood. The older patient's attitude toward and understanding of the medical encounter, however, are essential to the design of strategies to improve patient-physician communication. To date, investigations have primarily emphasized the ways in which the therapeutic relationship is influenced by immutable patient characteristics. This qualitative study extends previous research findings by looking beyond the effect of ascribed categories (such as age, race, and gender) and focusing on aspects of patient behavior, specifically assertiveness. Fonts groups were conducted with older African-, Chinese-, European-, and Hispanic American breast cancer patients from sites in the eastern and western United States. The study explores the potential of a form of patient activation for challenging stereotypes of the elderly and changing health care practitioners' behavior.
Source: JOURNAL OF AGING STUDIES
Publication Year: 1998
Volume: 12
Issue nr: 4
Pages: 331 - 350