Chapter 6 170 Discussion In this multi-method design-based study, we explored patient perspectives on gender norms and gender-sensitive care. Most participants had no previous knowledge or experience with the topic of ‘gender sensitive PD care’ and had a positive attitude towards investigating and addressing gender related concerns in healthcare. Participants considered their masculinity (for men) and femininity (for women) as a moderately strong component of their identity and overall, participants did not hold strong gender stereotypical attitudes towards male and female patients and physicians. Furthermore, we found that there are shared and distinct gendered stereotypes and norms that influence illness experiences of men and women with PD. Most prominently, the general perception that ‘People with PD are old men’ impacts both men and women’s own initial perception of living with the disease and the perception of their social environment. Attention towards personality changes, dealing with- and listening to emotional experiences of living with PD were prominent topics for both men and women, although their interpretations differed. Men described their experiences with prevalent gendered stereotypes related to ‘men should be strong’, ‘men should suppress their emotions’ and ‘men are providers’. Women described experiences with stereotypes related to ‘women are family carers’ and ‘women should look friendly’. The results from the self-reflections revealed that women associated ‘gender-sensitive care for women with PD’ with a focus on interpersonal aspects related to the patienthealthcare provider relationships such as being listened to and attention towards the different social roles women fulfil in their lives. Men tended to associate ‘gendersensitive care for men with PD’ more with attention towards intrapersonal aspects such as self-regulation, management, and reliance. Both men and women expressed a need for more attention towards emotional wellbeing. This is particularly important in the period after diagnosis when people with PD are learning to cope with increased emotionality due to PD symptoms and disease progression and the impact of PD treatment on social role changes. Participants expressed a need for emotional support with a focus on (re)enforcing self-agency. Recommendations for gender-sensitive PD care and research included fostering awareness among researchers and healthcare providers about gender stereotypes to avoid the reproduction of gender biases as well as the encouragement to proactively address social role changes due to the progression of PD related symptoms. For healthcare providers, this begins with acknowledging the emotional toll that social role changes can have on patients and understanding feelings of frustration, loss and anxiety related to changes in the ability to perform certain roles. This includes reflection
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