Exploring the Temporalities of the Patient-Doctor Relationship Throughout the Lifespan Using an Anthropological Lens

Abstract

This thesis explores the temporalities of patient-doctor relationships. Existing studies of patient-doctor relations have been largely made by non-anthropologists who assess patient-doctor encounters and relations at shorter timespans. How longer timespans matter to these social relations has been analyzed less. This thesis proposes a qualitative approach that uses interviews and diaries by participants to document their experiences with their doctors and the healthcare system in Ontario. Adopting this approach for an exploratory study of 19 participants suggests that age, gender, ethnicity, and educational status affect how patients experience the temporalities of their interactions with medical doctors.