Perceptions of patient-provider relationships in allied health education textbooks

The objective of this research was to determine the degree to which selected allied health education textbooks presented information on aspects of the patient-provider relationship. Five textbooks were selected from two allied health areas: physician assistant and dental hygiene. Content analysis was used to systematically identify inclusion of four variables: patient-provider relationships; barriers to health care; sex differences; and racial, ethnic, or cultural differences in relation to health beliefs and behaviors. Results indicated a wide discrepancy among the textbooks for the four variables. Analyses indicated that minimal content had been allocated to patient-provider relationships and barriers to effective health care. This study demonstrated the use of content analysis as a methodology for reviewing course textbooks, and it demonstrated the need for faculty members to increase the presentation of information on patient-provider relationships.