Diversidades (inter)culturais na prática clínica

: estudo comparativo da relação médico paciente em Portugal e França na consulta privada de medicina dentária

Abstract

Like many other professionals, dentists have shown an increasing willingness to seek new opportunities, exercising their profession outside their country of origin. This gradual mobility should compel them to be aware of (inter)-cultural differences in the doctor-patient relationship. The problem underlying the main topic of our work leads us to reflect on the existence of a European cultural unity in clinical practice, which goes beyond national diversities. Therefore, Portugal and France may be possible examples within this unity. By the observation of 40 consultations (sample of 4 dentists - 2 French and 2 Portuguese - 10 consultations for each doctor), our goal is to verify if the cultural features of each country remain visible throughout the consultation and influence the socio-communicational aspects of clinical practice. In this investigation, we will examine the cultural influence in health communication by observing the dentist’s and the patient´s linguistic and behavioural attitudes, and we will determine the cultural differences and similarities in the doctor-patient relationship between Portugal and France. Analysing the results, it was found that linguistic similarity in speech established between doctor and patient exists while the cultural differences are more visible in the non-verbal component. In an overall view, it was shown that the four dentists - regardless of nationality, gender or age - seemed competent to establish an efficient doctor-patient relationship. In this perspective, we overpass national cultures and reach a professional culture – the one of dentists. Having achieved a consensus on the existence of a European cultural unity in clinical practice of dentistry which goes beyond local and national diversities, we aim at improving the dentists’ and students’ knowledge about the relevance of (inter)-culture in health communication.

Date of Award	2013
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Maria Filomena Capucho (Supervisor)