Comparing women's views on family and sexual problems in family and gynecological practices

Abstract

This study compares the role of community gynecologists and family physicians, seen from the patients' perspective. A sample of 126 female patients in family practices and 212 patients in gynecological practices were surveyed about their preferences and expectations of whether their doctor should address personal, family and sexual problems. The effects of covariates (such as the type of doctor, patient age, family status, child desire) on patient expectations were simultaneously assessed by multiple logistic regression. Between 40% and 70% of the patients contacted confirmed the family-oriented approach, both in family practices and gynecological practices. Family practice patients more frequently stressed their doctor's knowledge of personal and family aspects (odds ratio [OR] = 1.7, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.1-2.7); whereas communication about sexual problems and a possible desire to have a child was more often considered as the gynecologist's domain (OR = 2.8 [95% CI = 1.8-4.4] and OR = 1.8 [95% CI = 1.1-2.8], respectively). Female patients older than 30 years were more often interested in communication on family related affairs (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.4-3.4). These data illustrate that many patients would like both their community gynecologist and their family physician to take notice of their personal and family life conditions, including sexual problems and to initiate communication about these subjects.

Will german patients accept their family physician as a gatekeeper?

“…In Germany, women usually consult community specialists in obstetrics and gynecology and might even consider the gynecologist as their family doctor. 29 They might be concerned that first‐contact care by a family physician might restrict access to their community gynecologist. Similar to recent developments in the United States, 30 gatekeeping arrangements in Germany will include community gynecologists as primary care providers. Location.…”

‘Talking of Sex’: Developing and piloting a sexual health communication tool for use in primary care

“…Yet research has shown that many primary health care professionals find it difficult to talk about sexual matters and key opportunities for prevention and intervention are missed [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Research suggests, however, that patients would welcome increased opportunities for discussion of personal topics [10,11]. The evidence is that a higher proportion of young people prefer to receive information about sexual matters from health care professionals than do so in practice [12] and parents believe doctors to be the appropriate expert to help in this respect [13].…”

Doctors' responses to patients' concerns; an exploration of communication sequences in gynaecology

“…Some patients may, for instance, worry about the level to which the gynaecological disorder interferes with their marital life while others feel distressed about their presumed reproductive incapacity (Hunter, 1990). Patients like their gynaecologist to take notice of these feelings (Himmel et al, 1999). Yet, the gynaecological curriculum is primarily directed at acquiring technical medical skills.…”