Toward Gender-aware Health Care

Abstract

In response to identified deficits in the provision of health care to female patients, we sought to improve healthcare workers' gender awareness— conceptualized as gender-role ideology, sensitivity, and knowledge related to female patients—through the application of a brief computerized educational intervention. This study, conducted in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health-care setting, involved a pretest—posttest equivalent control group design. We evaluated hypotheses using random coefficients regression, a technique that offers a number of advantages relative to repeated-measures ANOVA. Findings revealed significant improvements in sensitivity and knowledge for participants in the treatment condition compared to the control condition. With several exceptions, the intervention was similarly effective across employee groups.