Sex Differences in Health Care Provider Communication During Genital Herpes Care and Patients' Health Outcomes

Abstract

Research in primary care medicine demonstrates that health care providers' communication varies depending on their sex, and that these sex differences in communication can influence patients' health outcomes. The present study aimed to examine the extent to which sex differences in primary care providers' communication extend to the sensitive context of gynecological care for genital herpes and whether these potential sex differences in communication influence patients' herpes transmission prevention behaviors and herpes-related quality of life. Women (N = 123) from the United States recently diagnosed with genital herpes anonymously completed established measures in which they rated (a) their health care providers' communication, (b) their herpes transmission prevention behaviors, and (c) their herpes-related quality of life. The authors found significant sex differences in health care providers' communication; this finding supports that sex differences in primary care providers' communication extend to gynecological care for herpes. Specifically, patients with female health care providers indicated that their providers engaged in more patient-centered communication and were more satisfied with their providers' communication. However, health care providers' sex did not predict women's quality of life, a finding that suggests that health care providers' sex alone is of little importance in patients' health outcomes. Patient-centered communication was significantly associated with greater quality-of-life scores and may provide a promising avenue for intervention.