The Doctor-Patient Relationship in Public Hospital: Psychological Consequense Related to the Obesity Variable

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to study the psychodynamics of the Social Representations (RS) of obesity and the importance in the relaction between patient and endocrinologists from public hospitals. The interviews were carried on with ten endocrinology doctors from public medical institutions (five female and five male doctors) aged between twenty-eight and forty-four. Their specialization period ranged from two to eighteen years. The interviews were semi structured, in the sense that they had been given a minimal pre-structure, thus allowing the interviews to be spontaneous and express himself freely and easily. The techniques used were projective techniques, with general and wide-ranging questions. The theme, obesity, was expected to arise spontaneously during the course of the interview. The data handling based on the psychodynamic frames of reference, followed a qualitative approach. The study here presented leads to the conclusion that an individual doctor interprets the ideologies about obesity which circulate among people in our society. The doctor’s behavior reflects his personality traits, his scientific knowledge, and the influence of mass media. The financial condiction reflets in clinical pratices.