Doctor Patient Relationships and the Older Patient

The authority of physicians in patient encounters is posited by the sicrole and the professional-client models in sociology. Yet, public challenges to physician authority are currently occurring, as shown by self care movements, and by some empirical data. Whether the elderly share in such challenges is, however, an unresolved question. Will longer experience with health services produce skepticism about medicine's claims, or conversely will the aged's probable more authoritarina upbringing and concern about failing health produce acceptance of physician authority? Data from an interview survey of 640 randomly sampled persons in a midwestern state, reveal that the 153 respondents aged 60 and over are more likely to accept physician authority, both in terms of attitudes and behaviors, than are the younger groups. Moreover, the findings show that the level of older persons' challenging attitudes is affected by their health knowledge and general views on authority, while their challenging behaviors are influenced by belief in right to medical information and an experience factor. Implications of the findings for appropriate modes of doctor-patient relationships for the elderly are discussed.