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Session #A5a Saturday, October 12, 2013. Empowering Female Patients in Multi-Disciplinary Settings. Aimee Galick , Ph.D. & Beth Patrick, Ph.D.(c ). Collaborative Family Healthcare Association 15 th Annual Conference October 10-12, 2013 Broomfield, Colorado U.S.A.
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Session #A5a Saturday, October 12, 2013 Empowering Female Patients in Multi-Disciplinary Settings Aimee Galick, Ph.D. & Beth Patrick, Ph.D.(c) Collaborative Family Healthcare Association 15th Annual Conference October 10-12, 2013 Broomfield, Colorado U.S.A.
Empowering Female Patients in Multi-Disciplinary Settings • Aimee Galick, Ph.D. & Beth Patrick, Ph.D.(c) • CFHA 2013
Overview • Intersection of female discourse & medical context. • Overview of qualitative research findings from meta-data analysis of women’s experience of heart disease. • Model for empowering female patients. • Collaborative conversation about attendee’s experiences working with female patients.
Traditional Female Discourses • Less dominant/More submissive • Less independent/More dependent • Less rational/More emotional • Less competitive/More cooperative • Less objective/More subjective • Less autonomous/ More responsible for giving care in relationships
Medical Context • Hierarchical - Independence driven • Biological focus • Symptom relief • Medical compliance • Provider as expert
“When the doctor’s come into the room, they direct all of their comments and questions to my husband as if I’m not there”“I don’t know how to explain myself to the doctors... so instead, I let my husband do the talking...”“My (male) doctor encourages me to ‘just stop my anxiety’ and ‘get a grip of my emotions’ so that I can be a better candidate for a heart transplant”“I think my doctor was upset by my tears...I need to try harder next time to not cry in front of him”“If I ask for too much from my doctor I feel like I am labeled an ‘annoying woman’ or a ‘complainer’”
Empowerment comes from feeling understood & having a voice in defining reality.
Case Example • White female patient in her mid-60’s recently found out that she may be ineligible for health-promoting procedure. • Presented as confident, organized, flexible • Husband and daughter described her as someone who “just adjusts” to life challenges
Approach the conversation from a place of wanting to understand and connect with women
Questions? Thoughts? Reflections? • Aimee Galick, PhD, agalick@llu.edu • Beth Patrick, PhD(c), epatrick@llu.edu