Influence of Sex and Body Language on Patient Perceptions of Anesthesiologists

Abstract

Editor’s Perspective What We Know about This Topic What This Article Tells Us That Is New Background Patient perception of physician competence is important. The role of body language and physician sex on patient perceptions has not been investigated. The authors hypothesized that patients perceive anesthesiologists displaying confident body language as more competent and that patients would prefer male anesthesiologists. Methods Two hundred adult patients presenting to the Preanesthesia Evaluation and Testing Center at the University of Virginia Health System were recruited to participate using consecutive sampling. Patients viewed four 90-s videos in random order. Each video featured a male or female actor displaying confident, high-power poses or unconfident, low-power poses. Each actor recited the same script describing general anesthesia. Patients were randomized (100 per group) to view one of two sets of videos to account for any actor preferences. Participants ranked each actor anesthesiologist on perceived confidence, intelligence, and likelihood of choosing that anesthesiologist to care for their family member. Participants also chose the one actor anesthesiologist who seemed most like a leader. Results Two hundred patients watched the videos and completed the questionnaire. Actor anesthesiologists displaying confident, high-power body language had greater odds of being ranked as more confident (odds ratio, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.76 to 2.92; P < 0.0001), more intelligent (odds ratio, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.13 to 2.18; P < 0.0001), more likely chosen to care for one’s family member (odds ratio, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.82 to 3.02; P < 0.0001), and more likely to be considered a leader (odds ratio, 2.60; 95% CI, 1.86 to 3.65; P < 0.0001). Actor anesthesiologist sex was not associated with ranking for any response measures. Conclusions Patients perceive anesthesiologists displaying confident body language as more confident, more intelligent, more like a leader, and are more likely to choose that anesthesiologist to care for their family member. Differences in patient perceptions based on sex of the anesthesiologist were not detected.

Anesthesiologist Age and Sex Influence Patient Perceptions of Physician Competence

“…We previously investigated the effect of anesthesiologist sex and body language on patient perceptions of anesthesiologist confidence, intelligence, likelihood of choosing the anesthesiologist to care for their family member, and leadership abilities. 14 We found that actor anesthesiologists who demonstrated confident, high-power body language were more likely to be ranked as confident and intelligent, more likely to be chosen to care for one's family member, and more likely to be to be considered a leader. Patient ranking of these qualities was not affected by sex of the actor anesthesiologists.…”

“…We previously demonstrated that patient perception is influenced by body language, with patients ranking actor anesthesiologists who display confident body language as more confident, more intelligent, and more like a leader, and preferentially choosing that anesthesiologist to care for their family member when compared with anesthesiologists displaying unconfident body language. 14 Body language is a modifiable factor, and anesthesiologists who have a tendency to display unconfident body language can potentially undergo training to adopt more confident body language in order to improve patient perceptions. In the current study, patients displayed clear preferences based on age and sex, despite controlling for the effects of body language.…”

Effective Communication in the Pre-Operative Environment

“…Clearly explaining the anesthesia plan has previously been show to important in to patients and improves anxiety [4]. While displaying confident and approachable body language is no doubt important, there are likely other areas which may be more important to focus on, especially for trainees who are trying to improve their interview and communication skills [2] [3].…”

Women in anaesthesia: a scoping review

“…They found that a 'female staff anaesthetist was challenged more often and with greater assertiveness and effectiveness' than a male staff anaesthetist. 21 Conversely, Forkin and colleagues 20 did not find evidence of discrimination based on the gender of the anaesthesiologists in a randomised study of 200 patients presenting for preoperative evaluation in a single centre. The participants in that study viewed four 90 s videos of male and female anaesthesiologists displaying different body language, and were then asked to provide their perception of the physician's abilities.…”

“…Participants' perceptions were positively affected by confident body language but were not related to the gender of the anaesthesiologist. 20 PubMed: 17 EMBASE: 4 MEDLINE: 1…”