Abstract
ABSTRACT Introduction Gender and gender role pain expectations may influence how health care providers interact with and manage their patients’ symptoms. Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe gendered traits and gender role pain expectations among physical therapy students. Method A survey assessing gendered traits and gender role expectations in relation to pain was completed by a sample of 171 physical therapy students (120 women, 51 men). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and differences between men and women were tested with chi-square or Kruskal-Wallis. Results Men and women in physical therapy training were not different on 13 out of 16 of the gendered traits. The exceptions were that men rated themselves as more “decisive” compared to women (mean rank = 103.8 vs. mean rank = 78.4, P = 0.001) and women rated themselves as more “emotional” (mean rank = 91.95 vs. mean rank = 72.01, P = 0.009) and more “nurturing” (mean rank = 90.89 vs. mean rank = 72.91, P = 0.020). No significant differences were found in terms of gendered expectations of pain sensitivity, endurance, or in terms of personal experience of pain between the men and women in the sample. However, the majority (75%) of participants reported that women were more willing to report pain compared to men. Finally, both groups rated themselves as no different in handling pain compared to a typical man or woman. Conclusion In conclusion, men and women in training to be physical therapists demonstrate similar gendered trait profiles and little gender bias in relation to pain expectations.
Highlights
Gender and gender role pain expectations may influence how health care providers interact with and manage their patients’ symptoms
This study suggests that men and women physical therapy (PT) students are similar in terms of a number of gendered traits that could be considered relevant to their roles as clinicians
A caution in this finding is that given that this a gender role expectation for women it can be difficult to differentiate whether women are more nurturing or are reporting to align with societal expectations.[25]
Summary
Gender and gender role pain expectations may influence how health care providers interact with and manage their patients’ symptoms. Method: A survey assessing gendered traits and gender role expectations in relation to pain was completed by a sample of 171 physical therapy students (120 women, 51 men). : Le but de cette étude était de décrire les caractéristiques sexospécifiques et les attentes à l’égard du rôle des hommes et des femmes en ce qui concerne la douleur chez des étudiants en physiothérapie. Méthode: Un sondage évaluant les caractéristiques sexospécifiques et les attentes à l’égard du rôle des hommes et des femmes en ce qui concerne la douleur a été mené auprès d’un échantillon de 171 étudiants de physiothérapie (120 femmes, 51 hommes), Les données ont été analysées à l’aide de statistiques descriptives tandis que les différences entre les hommes et les femmes ont été vérifiées à l’aide du test du chi carré ou du test de Kruskal-Wallis.
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