Chaperones for Rectal and Genital Examinations in the Emergency Department: What do Patients and Physicians Want?
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- Santen, Sally A.; Seth, Naveen; Hemphill, Robin R.; Wrenn, Keith D.
- Source
- Southern Medical Journal. Jan2008, Vol. 101 Issue 1, p24-28. 5p.
- Subject
- *PERIODIC health examinations
*PHYSICIAN-patient relations
*MEDICAL practice
*GENERAL practitioners
*MEDICAL emergencies
*MEDICAL research
- Language
- ISSN
- 0038-4348
Background: The objective of this study was to compare patients' preferences and physicians' practice for the presence of chaperones during genitourinary examinations. Methods: A survey of 163 emergency department patients and 52 physicians was used to evaluate patients' preferences and physicians' practices for the presence and gender of a chaperone during genital examinations. Results: Most male patients (88%) did not care about the presence of a chaperone. Only 47% of female patients preferred a chaperone when a pelvic examination was to be performed by a male physician and only 26% preferred a chaperone with a female physician. One hundred percent of male and most female physicians (92%) used a chaperone for pelvic examinations. Most physicians do not ask patients whether they want a chaperone; however, most patients would like to be asked. Conclusions: We conclude there is a discrepancy between what physicians do and what their patients desire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]