www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com | 23 and reviews online, the distance to her office, and, importantly, the quality of the clinic or office she is in.” “It seems when [male doctors] can’t figure out a medical problem, they presume it must be stress,” Gretchen asserted. “That story gets old. Women understand the multiple roles of a woman and look into a situation further to make sure there is no medical reason for symptoms before going down the stress road.” Gretchen’s assertions are closely linked to the trending term “medical gaslighting,” when a health care provider dismisses a patients’ worries, minimizes their symptoms or makes them feel like their symptoms are imagined. According to Melinda Wenner Moyer’s 2022 New York Times article, “Women are Calling Out ‘Medical Gaslighting,’” “the term ‘gaslighting’ derives from a play called ‘Gaslight’ about a husband’s attempt to drive his wife insane. And many patients, particularly women and people of color, describe the search for accurate diagnosis and treatment as maddening.” “We know that women, and especially women of color, are often diagnosed and treated differently by doctors than men are, even when they have the same health conditions,” explained Karen Lutfey Spencer, a researcher quoted in Moyer’s piece who studies medical decision-making at the University of Colorado, Denver. Some women lean on nurse midwives, who are predominantly female, for their OB-GYN care. “We work with women from an early age through menopause,” said Barbara Davenport, CNM, a certified nurse midwife at Prisma Health in Greenville. Many female patients prefer to work with a female practitioner because they can “identify more with someone who has had similar experiences,” Davenport noted. “When a patient has a health practitioner who she can relate to, it often builds confidence in the relationship.” As a midwife, Davenport strives to “help women understand and trust their bodies.” Throughout Dr. Campbell’s experience, quality care is patients’ top priority: “Most people believe if a doctor provides a high quality of care, they will not care if they are a male or female.” Patients typically consider technical skill, compassion and experience as part of their evaluation, and a male OB-GYN may check the boxes best for them. Many women have a relationship built over the years with their male OB-GYN and the trust they place in him has grown. For women who live in more rural areas of South Carolina, Dr. Campbell explained, the most important consideration may become the availability of physicians, rather than the physician’s characteristics or background. The potentially smaller number of male physicians in these areas may not trouble some women who may not be able to, or may not wish to, travel a great distance for their visits. GENDER PREFERENCE AMONG PATIENTS OF THEIR TREATING OB-GYNS CARE SERVICE FEMALE MALE NO PREFERENCE Who do you prefer for having primary health screening? 72.8% 3.1% 24.1% Who do you prefer for pelvic exams? 92.6% 2.6% 4.9% Who do you prefer for obstetric care of an unborn baby? 68.2% 5.4% 26.4% Who do you prefer for major gynecological surgery? 61.0% 15.9% 23.1% Which gender has more sympathy? 34.6% 19.5% 45.9% Which gender is more trustworthy? 29.5% 15.1% 55.4% Which gender has more respect for their patients? 12.6% 17.4% 70.0% Which gender is more knowledgeable about women's health? 39.0% 8.7% 52.3% Which gender has better bedside manners? 19.2% 11.0% 69.7% Which gender tends to spend more time with their patients? 22.3% 8.5% 69.2% Which gender is a better OB-GYN? 48.7% 4.9% 46.4% Source: National Library of Medicine. Many female patients prefer to work with a female practitioner because they can 'identify more with someone who has had similar experiences.' “ “ Medical Gaslighting Source: nytimes.com/2022/03/28/well/live/gaslighting-doctors-patients-health.html
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