When women talk and doctors don't believe them

Communication and mutual respect between health care professionals and the people they provide care for is an important part of the healing process. Unfortunately, many factors can influence the effectiveness of patient-doctor interactions. This article discusses the findings from a qualitative study about women’s experiences of contraceptive surgery, commonly called ‘tubal ligation’. It particularly focuses on how doctors responded when participants raised concerns about a range of issues that could be broadly defined as ‘women’s problems’. The findings highlight the need for doctors to listen to women, taking seriously their health concerns and the knowledge they have of their own bodies. They also raise issues about the role gender and power play in medical encounters.