Important Enough to Talk About 

Ask 10 happily married couples why their relationships work. No doubt you'll
hear a common phrase offered as the key ingredient: communication.
Communication is vital to all human relationships, whether between
husband and wife, employer and employee, or doctor and patient.

The relationship between the physician and the patient is especially important
because life-and-death issues may be involved. Communication problems that
contribute to delays in diagnosis and treatment can prove fatal.

Race, ethnicity and gender have been cited as important barriers affecting
patient-physician communication. A study that appeared in the August 11,
1999 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association investigated
these variables in terms of patients' expectations and sense of participation in
the clinical experience. Results revealed some disturbing differences: 

* Patients who were the same race as their physician rated their visits as more
participatory than other patients;

* African-American patients rated visits as far less participatory than
Caucasian patients; and

* Patients of female physicians rated visits as more participatory than patients
of male physicians.

The authors suggest that these findings emphasize the need for improved
cross-cultural communication between primary care physicians and patients.
Don't let your doctor examine you for a minute or two and then send you on
your way with another prescription. And if you're looking for a thorough
examination and consultation with a health care professional who will take
the time to answer all your questions, make an appointment with a doctor of
chiropractic.

Cooper-Patrick L, Gallo JJ, Gonzales JJ, et al. Race, gender and partnership in
the patient-physician relationship. Journal of the American Medical
Association, August 11, 1999: Vol. 282, No. 6, pp583-89.