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Unplanned pregnancies come with risks of various health and financial consequences for women. Understanding such experiences is vital to aiding women in this health context; however, there is little research in this vein, particularly for college-aged young women. Narratives of unplanned pregnancy may help to shed light on the experiences of these women, leading to greater understanding and more congruent and helpful support communication, prevention, and education resources. The present study aimed to identify themes in unplanned pregnancy narratives. Stories for women who had continued their pregnancies differed from those of women who did not continue their pregnancies, and overall, narratives seemed to work toward positively reappraising and making sense of the experience, especially in terms of autonomy, as well as seeking affirmation and support for decisions made. Implications of these results will be discussed in terms of future narrative work in the unplanned pregnancy context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the oldest goals of the medical profession is to benefit, and do no harm to, the patient. The role of the physician was once a paternal one, with total physician control, and little value given to patient knowledge of their own illness experiences. With changing patient expectations and medical education reform, patient-centeredness has emerged as a dominant ideal in doctor-patient communication. Patient autonomy is increasingly valued. In this changing time of increased patient involvement in medical decision making, how do physicians describe their professional roles/identities? Self-described professional identity is often quite reflective of professional beliefs and practice. The present study offers a qualitative perspective on self-perceived physician professional roles from primary care physicians of three age groups, in their 50s, 40s, and 30s. Younger physicians in the sample expect patients to have the most autonomy and most control over their decision making, while older physicians still expect to have the most control. It is possible that these age-based patterns of physician professional identity reflect an increasingly autonomous patient role and a decreasing role for physician beneficence. Implications and practical applications of these results for the medical interview will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]