＜中英對照讀新聞＞"Richer" patients more attractive 「較有錢」病患較具吸引力

◎鄭寺音

If you want the best treatment from your GP, make sure you look a million dollars, UK researchers suggest. A study found GPs perceived affluent patients as more attractive than patients from deprived backgrounds.

英國研究人員說，如果你想獲得你的醫師最好的治療，務必讓你看起來像個百萬富翁。一份研究發現，醫師認為富裕的病患比貧窮的病患具有吸引力。

The authors of the study, in a Royal Society of Medicine journal, say this could be one reason why richer patients tend to receive better care.

研究作者在皇家醫學協會期刊說，這可能是較有錢的病患受到較好照顧的一個原因。

But GP leaders say it is important "not to jump to conclusions" and that GPs strive to provide an equitable service.

但醫師組織領導人呼籲「不要妄下結論」，並表示醫師也努力提供平等的服務。

Dr Dermot O’Reilly and colleagues at Queen’s University in Belfast took photos of 300 affluent and disadvantaged patients from 15 GP surgeries in Northern Ireland.

貝爾發斯特女王大學醫院的歐雷利醫師與同僚，拍攝北愛爾蘭15個診療室的300名富裕與貧困病患的照片。

The photos were then examined by 30 GPs from practices other than those used by the patients.

接著這些照片拿給30名不是這些病患的醫師看。

Patients from lower socioeconomic groups tend to have shorter consultations, receive less information, are less likely to get a prescription

社經地位較低層族群的病患，獲得的諮詢時間較短，接收的資訊較少，也較不可能獲得處方。

Based on the images alone, GPs rated patients from higher socio-economic backgrounds as being more attractive than their poorer peers.

單單根據這些影像，醫師就認定社經背景較高的病患，比窮病人有吸引力。

新聞辭典

GP︰指general practitioner，普通開業醫生，非專科醫生。

disadvantaged︰下層社會的；貧困的。disadvantaged families下層貧困家庭。

surgery︰醫師或牙醫的診療室。例句：If you come to the surgery （美式英文：office） at 10.30, the doctor will see you then. 如果你10點半來辦公室，醫師就會看你。