Why do doctors need to know marital stat

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-29-2003
Why do doctors need to know marital stat
33
Mon, 06-04-2007 - 4:40pm

Just wondered this, I was already wondering it upon visiting both a dermatologist and an eye doctor within the last 6 months. I can understand if a gynecologist needs to know, if the woman is pregnant or discovered to have a STD. But why, with all doctors, when you go for the first visit and have to fill out the new patient forms, is there always a section for you to disclose your marital status?

I was already wondering this, but thought I would ask other peoples' opinions after reading a review of Bella De Paulo's book "Singled Out" I either read it in the reviews of this book in Amazon dot com today, or it was in the Internet in something I read about singles discrimination, but someone said "yes, doctors want to know why you are single so they can tell you that if you were married, your problem would go away, or that if you have the problem and are single, it is because you are single and have the time to imagine more medical problems." (I am paraphrasing, but I hope the gist gets through) I would hope that this person's opinion of why doctors ask marital status isn't the case, but you never know.

Personally, what I have thought to do with such a question on such a new patient form, one time I just put "N/A" down, the doctor didn't say anything. Then there was the time at a temp agency where I was filling out the I-9 form, (in my state, employers can't legally ask marital status) however, there was a space on the I-9 form for me to put my "maiden name" So I filled it in and put my last name, and figured I would let them wonder if I was married but chose to keep my original last name.

So what is anyone else's take on why doctor's (and others) ask this, to me, irrelevant question on their forms for one to fill out?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 1:24pm

>>I don't really like "ma'am" but I'll take that any day over "Hon."
I hate being called "Hon." My mother doesn't even call me "Hon."<<

I think both are regional. Nobody ever said sir or ma'am when I was growing up (here in Colorado). I encounter that more with people from the south or east, as well as "dear" "hon" "darlin" - which I also dislike. Only an SO is allowed to use a term of endearment like that with me. :)

The ma'am thing actually used to bother me a lot more than it does now. I think I'd rather be called ma'am than miss at this point anyway.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 5:55pm

"I encounter that more with people from the south or east, as well as "dear" "hon" "darlin" - which I also dislike. Only an SO is allowed to use a term of endearment like that with me. :)"


Mr. Pooh calls me "sweetie"... so much so that he forgets and does it front of his parents... which he used to try NOT to do before.


I didn't get "ma'am'ed" until I moved to Texas. I had to train the kids to drop the ma'am with me, because I hate it. They did fine. But they would always forget to say "yes, ma'am" and "no sir" to the other teachers...


After I told them that where I'm from, "ma'am means ", they had NO trouble remembering...and would say it with a smile!


(I'm so evil - and no, it doesn't mean that where I'm from in PA.)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wed, 06-06-2007 - 6:05pm

Have you read The Essential 55?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-15-2005
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 9:57am

<<<"ma'am means ", >>>

WHERE in the world is that? I've never in my life heard such a thing.

Sir and Ma'am has always been a sign of respect.

<<>>

And this mother would have had a conference with you and the principal. NO teacher gets to interfere with the manners I raised my son with.


iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 10:34am

><<<"ma'am means ", >>>
WHERE in the world is that? I've never in my life heard such a thing.
Sir and Ma'am has always been a sign of respect.
<<>>
And this mother would have had a conference with you and the principal. NO teacher gets to interfere with the manners I raised my son with.<

Yeah, I have to agree. I'm sort of old school but I would like to see more kids being raised to have manners. Mostly all I see are rude and ignorant brats and absentee and equally ignorant parents.

When/if I ever have kids, they are GOING to learn manners or their rear-ends may sting a little. Lack of courtesy and manners is a dying art. And it just THRILLS me when I hear someone actually say "Thank You" or "Please."

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-26-2006
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 10:55am

I wonder if this is a geographic thing, too, because although people are a little annoyingly pushy here (if one more person runs me over walking down the street, I swear...), but I almost always hear please and thank yous. I'm a public transportation girl and probably a good 90 percent of people always thank their bus driver. Same with coffee shops and whatnot.

Just pondering. :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 11:00am

Again, I do think the "Sir" and "Ma'am" thing is regional. Nobody - literally nobody in Colorado said this when I was growing up, and it wasn't out of lack of respect. We just have a more casual culture (from our mining roots or something?). I was taught to refer to adults as Mr. Jones, or Mrs./Ms. Jones, etc, and definitely to treat all adults (teachers, parents' friends) very respectfully.

When a family from New York moved in next door and they said sir and ma'am, we all thought they were odd. :) It was just seen as a bit stuffy in my area. I think it's very much tied to regional culture.

--

Now, I do agree that kids need to be taught more manners in general. There is a serious lack of respect or etiquette these days. I'd definitely rather be called ma'am than 'hey lady.' :)

AJ, enjoying life with C.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 11:02am

Where do you live?

The "thank you" thing is killing me. If you hold a door open for the person behind you (for example), they rarely say thank you anymore (here). It's so rude.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-26-2006
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 11:55am

I live in Boston, so it seems odd that it'd be a major northeastern city that would be polite, haha...but honestly, I do hear please and thank you a lot, I more have a problem with people walking wherever they please and cutting in front of me and such.

Maybe I'm imagining things, but I'm kind of a stickler for common-decency manners.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Thu, 06-07-2007 - 12:09pm

>> I more have a problem with people walking wherever they please and cutting in front of me and such. <<

I think that's a lot more common in more crowded areas. It happens a lot here, as well, and people rarely say 'excuse me' when they bump you. It's like they think they own the street and you have no right to be there.

AJ, enjoying life with C.