Importance of gender, socioeconomic status, and history of abuse on patient preference for endoscopist.

OBJECTIVES: Patients have previously expressed preference for the gender of their endoscopist. Most of these patients were Caucasian women of predominantly high socioeconomic status. No study has evaluated the gender preferences of both women and men from a diverse but predominantly low socioeconomic background. The aim of this study was to evaluate gender preferences for endoscopists within an inner-city, tertiary care population.
METHODS: Consecutive patients scheduled for elective outpatient upper or lower endoscopy were prospectively asked to complete a questionnaire. Data included patient demographics, income level, education level, medical history, social history, abuse history, and gender preferences toward various health-care professionals.
RESULTS: A total of 500 patients completed the study (286 women, 214 men). Overall, 33% of patients surveyed had a preference for the gender of their endoscopist (165/500; CI: 29-37%). Women were significantly more likely to have a gender preference vs. men (42.3 vs. 21%; P<0.001). Female gender, lower income level, and history of physical/emotional abuse were significant factors for gender preference, as shown by multivariate analysis. Of our patients, 88 (18%) reported a history of abuse. A history of abuse significantly increased the percentage of patients with a gender preference for endoscopist (P<0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Women in our inner-city tertiary care center expressed gender preference for their endoscopist at rates similar to those seen in previous studies. A higher percentage of men had a gender preference than previously reported. Both men and women with a history of abuse are significantly more likely to prefer a woman endoscopist. Physicians should be aware of these high preference rates to increase compliance and optimize patient care.