What Reasoning Do Frontline Professionals Use Around Citizen‐Clients' Socioeconomic Status: Exploring the Mechanisms

Public Administration, vol. 103, pp. 1054–1067

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines socioeconomic status (SES) as an indicator for decision‐making among frontline professionals in healthcare, focusing on general practitioners (GPs). Aside from research on stereotypes, we know little about how frontline professionals reason about SES in decision‐making. This study addresses this gap by investigating how GPs use SES to develop care for patients with varying SES backgrounds. Based on qualitative interviews, the study identifies three SES reasonings that are closely intertwined with the status of patients: (1) status preservation reasoning describes how GPs interpret SES cues and status stability in relation to what needs to be preserved, (2) social distance reasoning helps explain how social distance creates a reference point when helping the patient, and (3) together reasoning describes how GPs use patients' busyness and educational level to develop treatment plans together with the patient. This study contributes to the existing literature by distinguishing SES reasonings in frontline professionals' decision‐making.

Authors 4

1. Fia van Heteren corresponding Aachen Institute of Public Administration Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs The Hague DP the Netherlands

   Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University Medical Centre, Health Campus the Hague The Hague DP the Netherlands

   Leiden University, Institute of Public Administration, Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs The Hague DP the Netherlands

2. Nadine Raaphorst Aachen Institute of Public Administration Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs The Hague DP the Netherlands

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University, Institute of Public Administration, Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs The Hague DP the Netherlands

3. Sandra M. Groeneveld Aachen Institute of Public Administration Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs The Hague DP the Netherlands

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University, Institute of Public Administration, Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs The Hague DP the Netherlands

4. Jet Bussemaker Aachen Institute of Public Administration Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs The Hague DP the Netherlands

   Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Leiden University Medical Centre, Health Campus the Hague The Hague DP the Netherlands

   Leiden University, Institute of Public Administration, Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs The Hague DP the Netherlands