OBJECTIVE: To study the preferences of patients on the gender of the physician when consulting for particular health problems; and to know the gender stereotypes that patients assign to physicians. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING:Five teaching health centres in Granada (Spain). PATIENTS: Randomised sample of patients that consulted 10 female and 20 female physicians during three months (17 patients per physician), for alfa = 5%, beta = 80%, to detect a difference of 12% between male and female physicians. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We used a questionnaire adapted from Fennema (Family Medicine Dept., Wisconsin University, 1990) that was administered by interviewers after the consultancy, following a previous pilot study. Preference and stereotype scales comprised 10 items, with five reponses (neutral mid-point). Differences were analysed with chi 2 with correction for continuity. Non-reponders (33%) were replaced, and their age and sex did not bias the study results. Responders were 210 males (40.9%) and 304 women (59.1%). For "flux in penis/vagina" and "haemorrhoids" 50-60% of the patients preferred a physician of the same sex, with the remainder expressing no preference. The women preferred female physicians for family problems (23%) and depression (23%). The male physicians were more often perceived to be unorganised than were the females (24% vs. 5%, p < 0.0005), while the female physicians were more often described as humane (15% vs. 10%, p < 0.0005). Characteristics expressing technical competence were more often attributed to the male physicians than to the females, while those expressing empathy were more often attributed to the female physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Patients prefer physicians of the same gender for some health problems and not for others. Patients assign gender stereotypes to physicians. These findings will permit a better interpretation of doctor-patient relationships.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To study the preferences of patients on the gender of the physician when consulting for particular health problems; and to know the gender stereotypes that patients assign to physicians. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Five teaching health centres in Granada (Spain). PATIENTS: Randomised sample of patients that consulted 10 female and 20 female physicians during three months (17 patients per physician), for alfa = 5%, beta = 80%, to detect a difference of 12% between male and female physicians. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: We used a questionnaire adapted from Fennema (Family Medicine Dept., Wisconsin University, 1990) that was administered by interviewers after the consultancy, following a previous pilot study. Preference and stereotype scales comprised 10 items, with five reponses (neutral mid-point). Differences were analysed with chi 2 with correction for continuity. Non-reponders (33%) were replaced, and their age and sex did not bias the study results. Responders were 210 males (40.9%) and 304 women (59.1%). For "flux in penis/vagina" and "haemorrhoids" 50-60% of the patients preferred a physician of the same sex, with the remainder expressing no preference. The women preferred female physicians for family problems (23%) and depression (23%). The male physicians were more often perceived to be unorganised than were the females (24% vs. 5%, p < 0.0005), while the female physicians were more often described as humane (15% vs. 10%, p < 0.0005). Characteristics expressing technical competence were more often attributed to the male physicians than to the females, while those expressing empathy were more often attributed to the female physicians. CONCLUSIONS:Patients prefer physicians of the same gender for some health problems and not for others. Patients assign gender stereotypes to physicians. These findings will permit a better interpretation of doctor-patient relationships.