Male GPs Views on Men Seeking Medical Help - Essay Example

"Male GPs’ Views on Men Seeking Medical Help" is a perfect example of a paper on the health system.
Part 1 

The main aim of the study was to explore the experiences of a group of male GPs in relation to their male patients’ help-seeking behavior (Hale, Grogan & Willot 2010, p. 699). The authors utilized the qualitative study design, particularly the phenomenology type of qualitative study. Phenomenology is an appropriate design to use as it draws a clear link between verbal report, cognition, and physical state focuses on the individuals and interpretation and explores the dynamics of the relationship between individuals and health care professionals (Hale, Grogan & Willot 2010, p. 700). Thus, this type of design will facilitate the exploration of the relationship between men and male GPs. 

Part 2 

The researchers used snowball sampling, a non-probability sampling method technique that is often used when researchers do not have access to study groups or populations (Hale, Grogan & Willot 2010, p. 700). In snowball sampling, researchers will find people who fit the criteria for the study and will ask these people to refer them to other people who fit the study requirements. This type of design may introduce biases as contacted participants may have similar backgrounds and opinions, leading to reduced diversity of the sample. However, this method is appropriate in the study because of the difficulty to access GP population and because the primary aim is to explore only a group of male GPs experiences in relation to their male patients’ help-seeking behavior. 

Part 3 

IPA (Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis) was used to analyze the transcribed audiotaped interviews. Transcripts of each individual account were first to read and reread, analyzed individually, and were compared with others to elicit a shared theme presented in a flow diagram. Some themes were related to interview topics but participants’ concerns and common beliefs or ways of thinking also emerged. Themes were merged into groups, checked frequently from original data, and were presented in the final analysis. Data were interpreted as a whole and translated into a narrative account. In the final analysis, extracts of transcripts were chosen to illustrate the theme. 

Part 4 

The three main themes identified in the paper are managing demand, men in consultation, and men first, doctors second (Hale, Grogan & Willot 2010, p. 704). In managing the demand, GPs elaborated anxieties towards escalating workloads as people’s perception of the role of GP extend to anxiety, depression, and stress. GPs were thankful to men who rarely self-refer to their GP. Meanwhile, men in consultation explore men’s perception of self-referral. Men viewed frequent self-referral more feminine  and that consultation must be done once ‘real health problem occurs.’ To men, work is seen as the most important and GPs often have ambivalent feelings towards men who consult. Men first, doctors’ second theme strongly illustrates the similarity between GPs and male patients towards health-seeking behaviors. GPs and male patients both value work over health, often prefer not to know any medical findings, and hold the same belief of a masculine image.  

Each of these themes differs in the aspect of how male GPs provide health care for men and in location. However, these themes are interrelated because of the adherence to the masculine norms of behavior and attitudes towards the tendency to self-refer (Hale, Grogan & Willot 2010, p. 704). To enhance the self-referral of men’s patients, male GPs should set a good example and positively reinforce the adoption of self-referral behaviors.