Scikness and the Social Compact

Epidemiological research in social psychiatry has shown a relationship between the social class of patients and the psychiatric illnesses from which they suffer. It also appears to be true that patients of a particular social class are treated by psychiatrists of a particular social and professional ideology, either physico-medical or analytic-psychological. Thus every doctor-patient relationship may be regarded as a social compact, the implicit terms of which are accepted by each participant as binding upon himself. The terms of expectation and obligation of the traditional medical ideology so encumbers this social compact, when it is joined for psychiatric purposes, that it must inevitably fail by making it either easier to be ill or impossible to be well. The only possible way of proceeding is to open the compact itself for investigation and its terms for negotiation. This procedure, at the same time, brings one to grips with the terms of the illness itself.

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Effect of COVID-19 on doctor-patient relationship

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20205136 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. 4690

Author(s):

Hope O. Nwoga ◽

Miriam O. Ajuba ◽

Uche E. Ezeoke

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Social ◽

Convenience Sampling ◽

Enugu State ◽

Almost All ◽

Self Administered Questionnaire

Background: The doctor-patient relationship has been linked to patient satisfaction, treatment adherence and outcome. It remains the cornerstone of medical practice though may be affected in this era of COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the doctor-patient relationship.Methods: The study was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary health facility in Enugu State South-East Nigeria. It involved all the doctors working in the hospital as at the time of data collection. Patients that attended the general out-patient clinic of the hospital were selected using convenience sampling. One hundred and eighty six (186) doctors and 155 patients participated in the study. A similarly structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from both the doctors and the patients.Results: There was disparity in some of the studied aspect of the doctor-patient relationship as reported by the doctors and the patients. The prominent being the social distancing practice which almost all the patients (91.6%) said that it has affected their relationship with their doctors while only about half of the doctors (52.7%) agreed to this assertion. However both parties agreed that the level of physical examination have reduced to the barest minimum.Conclusions: The present COVID-19 pandemic have affected the doctor-patient relationship adversely.

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Changing doctor patient relationship in India: a big concern

International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health ◽

10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20192868 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (7) ◽

pp. 3160

Author(s):

Juhi Tripathi ◽

Shalabh Rastogi ◽

Ashok Jadon

Keyword(s):

Social Relationship ◽

Modern Society ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

The Social

Since time immemorial doctor’s service to mankind was considered as one of the noblest profession and doctors were treated as next to God with highest respect in the society. With the struggle of development, the modern society has become intolerant and impatient leading to change in this sacred relationship. This deterioration is not only affecting the social relationship but also the treatment of patients as there is a feeling of mistrust and concealment of facts. This article elaborates about the factors for such deterioration and also the ill effects both on patients and doctors. This article further suggest the measures to be taken on timely bases by all the stakeholders i.e. the doctors, the patients and society as well as by governments for improving this mandatory relationship.

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Doctors at times of national instability: What Balint seminars reveal

The International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine ◽

10.1177/0091217418791449 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 3-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jumana Antoun ◽

Alan Johnson ◽

Brock Clive ◽

Maya Romani

Keyword(s):

Primary Care Physicians ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Political Situation ◽

Medicine Resident ◽

Religious Conflicts ◽

Syrian Civil War ◽

The Social ◽

Group Members ◽

Case Presentations

Background It is not known in what ways is the doctor whose practice is secure in a clinic challenged to maintain a therapeutic doctor–patient relationship when confronting a flood of immigrants within a country that is politically volatile, internally fractionalized, and surrounded by sporadic military incursions? Methods During Balint seminars, a family medicine resident presents a troubling case which all group members reflect upon from the perspective of the doctor, the patient, and their relationship. Balint leaders later debrief and review the work of the group. Lebanon has passed through many political, social, and religious conflicts and was affected by the onset of the Syrian Civil War in 2010. The Balint leaders had begun to see in resident case presentations reflections of war’s disruption of the doctor–patient relationship. Two Balint leaders reviewed a log of all the cases between 2013 and 2016. Results In our observations, the discussion of the presented cases mirrored the cultural, social, religious, and political context of the country. First, the political situation was reflected in the dynamics of the group: agitation, conflicts, hopelessness, and a search for norms. Second, the residents subconsciously chose words in their discussion that reflect the country’s situation. Third, the presented case was stirred by a tragic war-related event. Conclusions The social/political/religious context in which the physician is practicing distracts the doctor from fulfilling his/her professional role. Balint seminars are an example of direct, experiential learning that provide an excellent opportunity for the special training of primary care physicians who deal with refugees and citizens to self-reflect on war’s impact on them and their profession.

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Comportamiento de la ciudadanía respecto a la información sobre salud: exposición, acceso y usos = The behavior of citizens regarding health information: exposure, access and uses

REVISTA ESPAÑOLA DE COMUNICACIÓN EN SALUD ◽

10.20318/revhisto.2019.4448 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 9

Author(s):

Gema Revuelta

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

Health Information ◽

Behavioral Changes ◽

Online Information ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Fake News ◽

Redes Sociales ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

Access To Health ◽

The Social

Introducción: Los comportamientos de la ciudadanía respecto a la información de salud pueden influir en sus relaciones con otras personas y en sus propias decisiones.Objetivos: Aumentar la comprensión sobre los cambios en los comportamientos de los ciudadanos españoles respecto a la información sobre salud entre 2014 y 2018.Metodología: Se han realizado 6 grupos focales con ciudadanos (N=31) y 4 con comunicadores especializados en salud (N=23). Las transcripciones se han codificado y analizado con la ayuda del programa Atlas.ti 8.Resultados: En 2014, las redes sociales comenzaban a ocupar un papel central en el acceso a la información sobre salud, especialmente entre los más jóvenes. En 2018, en opinión de los comunicadores, aunque hay más contenidos de calidad online, las estrategias comerciales de las redes hacen que los ciudadanos estén más expuestos a fake-news (incluyendo las pseudoterapias) y a contenidos superficiales (como la imagen corporal). Los temas que interesan a la población han cambiado y también su comportamiento respecto a la información. El uso de la información online en la relación médico-paciente no parece haber variado.Conclusión: En 4 años se han producido transformaciones en la exposición y el acceso a la información de salud que pueden tener consecuencias considerables.Palabras Clave: comunicación de salud; redes sociales; relación médico-paciente; fake-news.AbstractIntroduction: The behavior of citizens regarding health information can influence their relationships with other people and their decisions.Objectives: To increase the understanding of behavioral changes of Spanish citizens regarding health information between 2014 and 2018.Methodology: Six focus groups were organized with citizens (N = 31) and four with specialized health communicators (N = 23). The transcripts have been coded and analyzed with Atlas.ti 8 software.Results: In 2014 social networks began to occupy a central role as a means of access to health information, especially among the youngest. From the opinion of communicators, in 2018 there is now more quality information online, but the commercial strategies of the social networks encourage the exposure of citizens to fake-news (including pseudo therapies) and superficial contents (i.e. body image). Citizens have changed their issues of interest and their behavior regarding health information. The use of online information within the doctor-patient relationship do not seem to have changed.Conclusion: In four years there have been changes in the exposure and access to health information that can have considerable consequences.Keywords: health communication; social networks; doctor-patient relationship; fake-news

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Tranquillisers as Social Control?

The Sociological Review ◽

10.1111/j.1467-954x.1984.tb00825.x ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 32 (3) ◽

pp. 524-546 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Jonathan Gabe ◽

Susan Lipshitz–Phillips

Keyword(s):

Empirical Study ◽

Social Control ◽

Final Section ◽

Patient Relationship ◽

Doctor Patient Relationship ◽

The Social ◽

Control Concept ◽

Health Field ◽

Inherent Tendency

In this paper we use findings from an empirical study of the meaning of tranquilliser prescribing and use to examine the contention that these drugs are a means of social control, and to assess the explanatory value of the concept of social control when applied to the doctor-patient relationship. We first outline the historical application of the concept to the health field, specify the cultural mechanisms by which social control is said to be achieved and look at the ways in which the mechanisms are thought to operate through the prescribing of the most widely used kind of tranquilliser/hypnotic–benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium, Mogadon). We then draw on our data to see how far they substantiate the arguments which have been developed. In the final section of the paper we suggest some alternative explanations regarding the nature of doctors' power and of patient dependence. We also discuss problems involved in conceptualizing gender and class ideologies, note an inherent tendency towards an over-socialized view of the person and assess the usefulness of functionalist explanations stemming from the application of the social control concept to the doctor–patient relationship.

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