Received: from smtp.uky.edu (smtp.uky.edu [128.163.2.17]) by csf.Colorado.EDU (8.8.5/8.8.4/CNS-4.1p-nh) with ESMTP id PAA03975 for ; Mon, 9 Nov 1998 15:13:09 -0700 (MST) Received: from pop.uky.edu (pop.uky.edu [128.163.2.16]) by smtp.uky.edu (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id RAA29910 for ; Mon, 9 Nov 1998 17:13:06 -0500 (EST) Received: from mdc.novel.uky.edu ([128.163.75.128]) by pop.uky.edu (8.8.8/8.8.8) with SMTP id RAA16579 for ; Mon, 9 Nov 1998 17:13:06 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19981109171734.007c58a0@pop.uky.edu> X-Sender: ebgall@pop.uky.edu Date: Mon, 09 Nov 1998 17:17:34 -0800 To: MedSoc@csf.colorado.edu From: "Eugene B. Gallagher" Subject: Re: Request for Info - Culture & Healthcare In-Reply-To: References: <9811099106.AA910632574@gvsu.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I was interested to learn via Gayla Jewell that there are now some 15 or so non-physicians for every doctor who provides medical information to patients. I did not know the ratio was that high. I am not entirely satisfied however that a simple body count of health care workers answers the question about influence and authority in the health/medical field. I think that all providers should their due with regard to number of hours of service logged and number of patients seen. But how many of those non-physician providers are working under the authority or legal shadow of an MD? Going back to Paul E. Starr's notion of "cultural authority", would it make sense to say that physicians have a great deal of-- a preponderant amount- of CULTURAL authority, while all the others in the body count hold the overwhelming preponderance of SOCIAL authority. By SOCIAL I mean roughly face-to-face contact. I don't know quite what I do mean by CULTURAL not how I would index or measure it. If you hold with CULTURAL/SOCIAL, what rough measures would you propose? Or is the whole notion of CULTURAL/SOCIAL hopelessly obscurantist -- or perhaps still worse, cozying up to the most powerful profession? Gene Gallagher, University of KentuckyAt 12:30 PM 11/9/98 -0600, you wrote: >AMen.. > When Hessler and I were doing our text more than a decade ago, we >found hundreds of articles on physicians, a handful on nurses, and only >scattered work on any other health occupation. We lamented that at the >time, and things have still not changed. > >=========================================================================== ==== >Andrew C. Twaddle www.missouri.edu/~ansar >Professor of Sociology >University of Missouri >Columbia, MO 65211 for non- MU related >phone 573+882-7031 correspondence please use >fax 573+884=6430 ansar@gwi.net >=========================================================================== === > >On Mon, 9 Nov 1998, Gayla Jewell wrote: > >> >> We are well past time that physicians are looked to as the primary >> source of information or data from the health care field. About 16 >> other kinds of providers exist for every physician. Patients spend >> incredibly more time with nurses than with physicians. By focusing >> mostly on physicians, med sociologists inadvertantly perpetuate the >> "cultural authority" (Paul Starr) and hegemonic dominance of the >> medical profession. We must begin to look more thoroughly at the >> health care profession and various of providers of care and not just >> the "medical field". >> This comment is not meant to point fingers at you, Melvin. I'm >> venting my frustration at an academic group who espouse critical >> analysis....yet continue to support physician hegemony. >> >> >> >> >> ______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________ >> Subject: Request for Info - Culture & Healthcare >> Author: at internet >> Date: 11/5/98 9:32 AM >> >> >> >> >> Hello Everyone. >> >> Does anyone know of books, journal articles, or other materials that provide >> discussion on conflicts that arise between patients and physicians (or other >> allied medical personnel) who hold different/conflicting cultural beliefs about >> what constitutes appropriate diagnosis and treatment of health problems? >> >> Any information you can provide will be appreciated. >> >> Melvin Bobo >> Department of Sociology >> Iowa State University >> e-mail: melb12902@sprynet.com >> >> >> > >