Files
Download Full Text (709 KB)
Date of Graduation
5-2026
Description
Problem. Provider-patient communication can be sorted into two approaches: patient-centered communication (PCC) and doctor-centered communication (DCC). PCC is characterized by a patient focus, in which patients are encouraged to participate in decisions regarding their care, while DCC is characterized by a doctor focus, in which the physician acts as an informational source for patients (Bientzle et al. 2017). Physician communication style is known to be influenced by gender. Female physicians are more likely to utilize PCC than their male counterparts (Roter 2004). Female patients are more likely to have higher measures of PCC in interactions with their physicians (Bertakis et al. 2009). However, there is little known about the relationship between patient gender and satisfaction with different communication styles. This study will assess whether patient gender is associated with satisfaction rate when primary care physicians utilize PCC vs. DCC. Method. Participants will be 50 undergraduate students (aged 18 or older) at the University of Arkansas who attended a primary care visit within the past six months. They will complete an online survey that includes a provider communication style measure and the Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction (Hawthorne et al. 2006). Data will be analyzed using multiple linear regression. Results. Data collection is underway and it is hypothesized that: (H1) when physicians utilize PCC, female participants will report a higher satisfaction rate with their primary care visit when compared to male patients; (H2) when physicians utilize DCC, male participants will report a higher satisfaction rate with their primary care visit when compared to female patients. Conclusions. This work has implications for provider communication styles and other clinical practices that may support patient satisfaction and treatment engagement in primary care.
Publication Date
2026
Document Type
Book
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Biological Sciences
Advisor/Mentor
Bridges, Ana
Disciplines
Biology
Keywords
Social Science
Citation
Ho, J. (2026). Satisfaction with Physician Communication. 2026 Research Poster Competition. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/hnrcsturpc26/11
