Journal of Mass Communication & Journalism

How does Doctor-Patient Communication Differ Based on the Gender of Doctor and the Gender of Patient? An Analysis of Entertainment- Education Based Network Medical Drama Grey’s Anatomy

Abstract

Pokhrel L

This study content analyzed the total of 12 episodes of Grey’s Anatomy of season six. Total of twenty-four episodes of the season six, in which total of sixty eight (N=68) units of doctor-patient (characters) interactions were coded. This study aimed to find whether there is any significant difference in the communication between doctor and patient due to their gender difference. This study didn’t find a significant difference in terms of doctor-patient communication influenced by the gender of the doctor. The study found that the patients have interacted more to the female doctor characters than to the male doctor characters; however, the difference is not significant except in two categories: patient providing information on past medical diagnosis, and patient seeking information on adjustment/ coping (p<.05). In average, patients have communicated more with the female doctor characters than the male counterparts (Male: n=28, Female: n=40).