Information control and the exercise of power in the obstetrical encounter |
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Authors: | MC Shapiro JM Najman A Chang JD Keeping J Morrison JS Western |
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Institution: | Departments of Sociology, Obstetrics and Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4067 Australia |
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Abstract: | Interactions between doctor and patient involve participants with unequal power and possibly different interests. While a number of studies have focused upon the doctor/patient relationship, few have examined the utility of the concept of power and its capacity to help us understand the outcome of these interactions. The information sought by pregnant women from their obstetricians is used to provide a case study of one conceptualization and test of the utility of the concept of power. Pregnant women and their obstetricians are found to have different perceptions of the information that should be exchanged during their interactions. Women generally fail to obtain the information they want. Lower social class patients desire more and obtain less information than their higher status counterparts. |
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Keywords: | Reprint requests should be addressed to: Dr J M Najman Departments of Social and Preventive Medicine and Sociology University of Queensland St Lucia 4067 Australia |
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