De rol van sekse en gender in de communicatie tussen huisarts en patiënt

Differences in quality of health care between men and women have been found in the entire medical trajectory, from initial health care seeking to further treatment and referrals. The question arises to what extent gender, i.e., sociocultural norms and expectations related to masculinity and femininity, plays a role in these observed differences. The research objective is to gain more knowledge about the role of sex and gender in GP-patient interactions and to create recommendations for GPs to be aware of potential sex and gender biases in communication in the general practice, by analysing whether the theories on the effects of sex and gender on language use actually apply to interactions in GP-patient consultations, and by analysing how sex and gender categories are made relevant in GP-patient interactions. Sex and gender biases in GP-patient communication might lead to inequalities in health care, which could subsequently result in negative patient outcomes like stress, anxiety, mistrust, wrong treatments and continuation of the symptoms.

In the current project it is investigated whether sex and gender differences and subsequent biases exist in the communication in the general practice, which, if this is the case, might partly explain sex and gender inequalities in the entire medical trajectory.