從醫病關係談兩性健康照護

Feminism, Patient-physician Relationship and Health Care

Is medicine an asexual profession ? Do we treat male and female patients differently ? The rising feminism reminds us of the importance of patient autonomy especially of women patients. All patients should be treated the same regardless of their gender difference. Foot-binding and the thought of women’s “ three obedience “ were evidences that women had been exploited and oppressed in Chinese history. This article will examine the historical background of the rising of feminism and briefly introduce female thinkers such as Simone Beauvoir, Betty Friedan and Mary Wollsteinscraft. Facing the challenge to recognize the equal rights of all human kind, health professionals must behave in a certain way to ensure that nobody feels discriminated or disdained because of gender difference. Four attitudes that will help health professionals to develop a better patient-physician relationship with different gender patients will be discussed.