Aimee Galick, Ph.D. & Beth Patrick, Ph.D.(c)Aimee Galick, Ph.D. & Beth Patrick, Ph.D.(c)

Collaborative Family Healthcare Association 15th Annual ConferenceOctober 10-12, 2013 Broomfield, Colorado U.S.A.

Session #A5a Saturday, October 12, 2013

Empowering Female Empowering Female Patients in Multi-Patients in Multi-

Disciplinary SettingsDisciplinary Settings

Empowering Female Empowering Female Patients in Multi-Patients in Multi-

Disciplinary SettingsDisciplinary Settings

Empowering Female Empowering Female Patients in Multi-Patients in Multi-

Disciplinary SettingsDisciplinary Settings

Empowering Female Empowering Female Patients in Multi-Patients in Multi-

Disciplinary SettingsDisciplinary Settings

Aimee Galick, Ph.D. & Beth Patrick, Ph.D.(c)Aimee Galick, Ph.D. & Beth Patrick, Ph.D.(c)

CFHA 2013CFHA 2013Aimee Galick, Ph.D. & Beth Patrick, Ph.D.(c)Aimee Galick, Ph.D. & Beth Patrick, Ph.D.(c)

CFHA 2013CFHA 2013

OverviewOverview

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

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 ContextMedical 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 When the doctor’s come into the room, they direct all of

their comments and questions to my husband as if I’m not their comments and questions to my husband as if I’m not

there”there”

“I don’t know how to explain myself to the doctors... so “I don’t know how to explain myself to the doctors... so

instead, I let my husband do the talking...”instead, I let my husband do the talking...”

“My (male) doctor encourages me to ‘just stop my anxiety’ “My (male) doctor encourages me to ‘just stop my anxiety’

and ‘get a grip of my emotions’ so that I can be a better and ‘get a grip of my emotions’ so that I can be a better

candidate for a heart transplant”candidate for a heart transplant”

“I think my doctor was upset by my tears...I need to try “I think my doctor was upset by my tears...I need to try

harder next time to not cry in front of him”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 “If I ask for too much from my doctor I feel like I am labeled

an ‘annoying woman’ or a ‘complainer’”an ‘annoying woman’ or a ‘complainer’”

““When the doctor’s come into the room, they direct all of When the doctor’s come into the room, they direct all of

their comments and questions to my husband as if I’m not their comments and questions to my husband as if I’m not

there”there”

“I don’t know how to explain myself to the doctors... so “I don’t know how to explain myself to the doctors... so

instead, I let my husband do the talking...”instead, I let my husband do the talking...”

“My (male) doctor encourages me to ‘just stop my anxiety’ “My (male) doctor encourages me to ‘just stop my anxiety’

and ‘get a grip of my emotions’ so that I can be a better and ‘get a grip of my emotions’ so that I can be a better

candidate for a heart transplant”candidate for a heart transplant”

“I think my doctor was upset by my tears...I need to try “I think my doctor was upset by my tears...I need to try

harder next time to not cry in front of him”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 “If I ask for too much from my doctor I feel like I am labeled

an ‘annoying woman’ or a ‘complainer’”an ‘annoying woman’ or a ‘complainer’”

Brief Overview of Heart Brief Overview of Heart StudyStudy

Brief Overview of Heart Brief Overview of Heart StudyStudy

Empowerment comes Empowerment comes from feeling understood from feeling understood

& having a voice in & having a voice in defining reality.defining reality.

Empowerment comes Empowerment comes from feeling understood from feeling understood

& having a voice in & having a voice in defining reality.defining reality.

Case ExampleCase 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

How do you work How do you work to empower to empower

female patients?female patients?

How do you work How do you work to empower to empower

female patients?female patients?

Questions? Questions? Thoughts? Thoughts?

Reflections? Reflections?

Questions? Questions? Thoughts? Thoughts?

Reflections? Reflections?

Aimee Galick, PhD, Aimee Galick, PhD, agalick@llu.eduagalick@llu.edu

Beth Patrick, PhD(c), Beth Patrick, PhD(c), epatrick@llu.eduepatrick@llu.edu Aimee Galick, PhD, Aimee Galick, PhD, agalick@llu.eduagalick@llu.edu

Beth Patrick, PhD(c), Beth Patrick, PhD(c), epatrick@llu.eduepatrick@llu.edu