Factors affecting Cebuano women's choice of an ob-gynecologist

• Main Author: Pineda, Bernadette Clarisse J.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2004
• Subjects: Pediatric gynecology > Philippines > Cebu City; Choice (Psychology); Gynecologists > Philippines > Cebu City; Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/3193; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_masteral/article/10031/viewcontent/CDTG003727_P.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

The study determines the factors that selected Cebuano women consider in choosing an ob-gynecologist. It also finds out the role gender played in choices made by the women. Twenty women between the ages of 21 to 46 years were interviewed for this purpose using an interview guide consisting of open-ended questions. Ten were clients of a male ob-gynecologist and another ten were clients of a female ob-gynecologist. The ob-gynecologists both held clinic at Mactan Doctors Hospital, a private hospital in Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan Island, Cebu. The women all lived in Lapu-Lapu City except for one woman who lived in Liloan. Only one of them was not married and majority were employed. The range of number of children was 0 to 4 while the range of pregnancies was 1 to 5. The ages they first consulted an ob-gynecologist ranged from 17 to 32 years. All of them had consulted for prenatal check-ups and majority for delivery and postnatal check-ups. The results of the study indicate that gender does play a role in choosing an ob-gynecologist. However, it is not the most important factor. It also does not serve as an intervening variable for other factors and its connection with other factors is minimal. Instead, it is a factor in itself in which women prefer a female ob-gynecologist due to the very fact that she is female. However, it seems that that preferences are not preconceived and develop as a result of experience with ob-gynecologist. Thus, availability of male ob-gynecologists and good experiences with them may influence the women's preferences for a female ob-gynecologist. Since the women seem to develop preferences during or after consultations, they are not very particular when they first decide to consult a certain ob-gynecologist. They do not usually look for other options aside from the ones presented to them. One recommendation is usually enough for them to choose that particular ob-gynecologist. The results also indicate that social factors are considered the most important, specifically a show of concern from the ob-gynecologist during consultations. The woman want a friendly relationship with their ob-gynecologists not only for the sake of a good relationship, but also because they feel it will have an impact on the quality of their exchange of information and accuracy of diagnosis and treatment, in turn affecting their health. Women also make a connection between the ob-gynecologist's personality and other factors like economic and physical factors because they feel that the ob-gynecologist has control over such factors and adjusting it to favor the clients indicates considerateness on the part of the ob-gynecologist. However, some factors are also more associated with hospitals or the type of health provider. Thus, some women may first choose a hospital before choosing an ob-gynecologist at that hospital.