Older women interact with physicians more frequently than older men and younger persons, yet knowledge and understanding of their experiences with physicians is limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate older women’s perceptions of their interactions with physicians and to identify what older women want from physicians. Findings from in-depth interviews with 30 older women reveal the majority want to be actively involved in their own health care. In the patient–physician relationship, the women typically give priority to physicians’ personal attributes and behavior towards the patient. For many of the women, the age and gender of the physician also matter.
