Theoretical Considerations for the Study of the Doctor-Patient Relationship: Implications of a Perinatal Study

Two analytical perspectives for studying the problematic doctor-patient relationship have emerged in anthropology: the "explanatory models" approach and the "critical medical anthropology" approach. Using a case study of interactions between resident-physicians and pregnant women in a public clinic, this article discusses some important limitations of both approaches. Alternative considerations for the development of theory and methodology appropriate and necessary for understanding the nature of the doctor-patient relationship are suggested. Notable among these considerations are the distribution of power and knowledge in health care and the inclusion in the analysis of the institutional level that links the dyadic relationship to the broader health system.