Medical and Social Dynamics of College Women's Interactions with Their Gynecologists

Using data collected from twenty in‐depth interviews with female college students from SUNY Geneseo, a small selective public college in western New York, this paper examines the nature of college women's clinical interactions with their gynecologists. The author focuses on the female patient&#...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sociological inquiry 1997-10, Vol.67 (4), p.397-408
Main Author: Griffith, Pamela J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
College Students
Females
Gynaecologists
Gynecology
Higher Education
Interactions
Medicine
New York
Physician patient relationships
Physicians
Practitioner Patient Relationship
Sociology
Sociology of health and medicine
Students
Universities
USA
Women
Womens Health Care
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Summary:Using data collected from twenty in‐depth interviews with female college students from SUNY Geneseo, a small selective public college in western New York, this paper examines the nature of college women's clinical interactions with their gynecologists. The author focuses on the female patient's role as a passive participant. The general finding was that, although some women do take an active role in the clinical interaction, most readily accept the doctor's authority and their own vulnerability without question. A majority of the interviewees reported that they did not have any questions for their gynecologist and stressed their own focus on “just getting it [the exam] over with,” while those who did report asking questions characterized themselves as exceptionally strong women. The author offers possible explanations for the women's disinterest and discusses the implications for the women's health movement.
ISSN:0038-0245
1475-682X
DOI:10.1111/j.1475-682X.1997.tb00444.x