Pharmacist or Physician: Age Differences in Satisfaction with Medical Advice

Two studies examined predictors of medical care satisfaction in communities in Eastern Canada. Both studies focused on how the roles of pharmacists and physicians are perceived by adults of different ages. Using a survey methodology, Study 1 demonstrated that middle-aged adults, older adults, and community pharmacists differ in the extent to which they rate pharmacists as being important members of the health care team. Specifically, community members value pharmacists as health care providers, and this is especially true for older adults. Using an experimental paradigm, Study 2 examined ratings of medical interaction scenarios, ratings that varied as a function of kind of health professional (pharmacist vs. physician) and type of advice (directive vs. non-directive). Results suggest that older adults may have a more complex set of expectations about their health care interactions than do younger adults and that, for older adults, the factors that determine satisfaction differ across the professions being evaluated.