A Study Of Power Relations In Doctor-Patient Interactions In Selected Hospitals In Lagos State, Nigeria
Qasim Adam
Abstract
This paper explores power relations in clinical interactions in Nigeria. It seeks to investigate the use of power between doctors and patients during consultations on patient-centred approach to medicine in selected public and private hospitals in Lagos State, Nigeria. The objective is to establish how doctors' projection of power, using the discourse resources of transitivity, affects positively or negatively their relationship with patients. This study employs triangulation as its methodology. A judicious mix of quantitative and qualitative methods has been utilized to give the study a scientific shape. Proportionate stratified random sampling and purposive sampling procedures were employed. The study employs the theoretical and analytical paradigms of Systemic Functional Linguistics and Critical Discourse Analysis. The findings revealed that doctors predominantly use this process to the benefit of the patients. Minimal level of intrusive and cooperative interruptions was also observed. It is expected that this study will give more visibility on the best way patients can be empowered by lessening doctors’ use of polar interrogatives and completely avoiding interruptive discourse in clinical interactions
You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.