Assessing Cultural Representations of Physician and Patient Imagery in Medical Tourism Websites

Alicia Mason; Kevin B. Wright; Jessica Bogard

doi:10.36923/jicc.v11i1.523

Open Access Article Intercultural Communication

Alicia Mason ⁽¹⁾ , Kevin B. Wright ⁽²⁾ , Jessica Bogard ⁽³⁾

1. Department of Communication, Pittsburg State University

2. Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma

3. Department of Communication, University of Oklahoma - USA

https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v11i1.523

Issue
Vol. 11 No. 1 (2011)

Submitted
2009 March 29

Published
2011 March 25

Keywords:

Expectancy violations, medical tourism, cultural identity, advertising, websites

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Abstract

Given recent international trends in globalized healthcare systems, an analysis of the cultural representations of patient and physician imagery was conducted on 66 medical tourism websites. Expectancy violations theory serves as the intercultural theoretical framework for exploring the medical tourism process overall, and quality of care expectations specifically. Results revealed the type of website and international region of care varied both representations of care toward patients and the depictions of physicians as well as their associated environmental surroundings. The data reveals a cause for concern resulting from the distortion and diminishment regarding the ethnicity of physicians who offer services in overseas medical facilities. Future directions are offered to explore the consequences of these images among organizations advancing medical tourism services.

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Authors

Alicia Mason

(Primary Contact)

Kevin B. Wright

Jessica Bogard

Author Biographies

Alicia Mason

Alicia M. Mason is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Pittsburg State University. Her research focuses on Risk and Crisis Communication in the health domain. She has several published articles and 14 national and international conference presentations.

Kevin B. Wright

Kevin B. Wright is a Professor of Health Communication in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma. His research focuses on interpersonal communication, social support and health outcomes, and computer-mediated relationships. He is the coauthor of three books, including Health Communication in the 21st Century, Applied Health Communication, and Lifespan Communication, and his work has appeared in over 45 book chapters and journal articles.

Jessica Bogard

Jessica Bogard was a doctoral student in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma when the analysis was conducted.

Mason, A., Wright, K. B., & Bogard, J. (2011). Assessing Cultural Representations of Physician and Patient Imagery in Medical Tourism Websites. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 11(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v11i1.523

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