Mark K Ferguson1, Kristen Wroblewski2, Megan Huisingh-Scheetz3, Katherine Thompson3, Jeanne Farnan3. 1. Department of Surgery, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Electronic address: mferguso@surgery.bsd.uchicago.edu. 2. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. 3. Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Physician gender differences exist for estimating surgical risk and recommending lung resection. This study assessed gender differences in perceived importance of health characteristics portrayed by standardized patients posing as lung resection candidates. METHODS: Physicians read a clinical vignette categorized as low, average, or high surgical risk and then viewed a video of a standardized patient exhibiting vigorous, normal, or frail behavior. The relative importance of gait speed, strength, fatigue, age, and weight loss in the videos was scored on a five-point Likert-like scale. Ratings of the importance of each were compared by gender and risk category. RESULTS: Of 73 participating physicians, 62 were male and 11 were female, 40 were thoracic surgeons, and 33 were cardiothoracic surgical trainees. All video features were scored as very important or somewhat important a majority of the time. Gait speed and strength ratings were strongly correlated (r = 0.76), followed by strength and fatigue (r = 0.52) and gait speed and fatigue (r = 0.51). Female gender was associated with significantly greater odds of rating age as very important (p = 0.040). For weight loss, the differences between genders varied significantly (females consistently rated weight loss as important, whereas ratings for men varied by risk category; p = 0.002 for the interaction). CONCLUSIONS: Physicians variably rate certain health characteristics of standardized patients as important in making surgical risk estimations. Women and men rate the importance of age and weight loss differently. These findings may help educate physicians to develop more consistent estimates of surgical risk.
BACKGROUND: Physician gender differences exist for estimating surgical risk and recommending lung resection. This study assessed gender differences in perceived importance of health characteristics portrayed by standardized patients posing as lung resection candidates. METHODS: Physicians read a clinical vignette categorized as low, average, or high surgical risk and then viewed a video of a standardized patient exhibiting vigorous, normal, or frail behavior. The relative importance of gait speed, strength, fatigue, age, and weight loss in the videos was scored on a five-point Likert-like scale. Ratings of the importance of each were compared by gender and risk category. RESULTS: Of 73 participating physicians, 62 were male and 11 were female, 40 were thoracic surgeons, and 33 were cardiothoracic surgical trainees. All video features were scored as very important or somewhat important a majority of the time. Gait speed and strength ratings were strongly correlated (r = 0.76), followed by strength and fatigue (r = 0.52) and gait speed and fatigue (r = 0.51). Female gender was associated with significantly greater odds of rating age as very important (p = 0.040). For weight loss, the differences between genders varied significantly (females consistently rated weight loss as important, whereas ratings for men varied by risk category; p = 0.002 for the interaction). CONCLUSIONS: Physicians variably rate certain health characteristics of standardized patients as important in making surgical risk estimations. Women and men rate the importance of age and weight loss differently. These findings may help educate physicians to develop more consistent estimates of surgical risk.
Authors: Mark K Ferguson; Katherine Thompson; Megan Huisingh-Scheetz; Jeanne Farnan; Joshua Hemmerich; Julissa Acevedo; Stephen Small Journal: Ann Thorac Surg Date: 2015-05-23 Impact factor: 4.330
Authors: Mark K Ferguson; Jeanne Farnan; Josh A Hemmerich; Kris Slawinski; Julissa Acevedo; Stephen Small Journal: Ann Thorac Surg Date: 2014-06-02 Impact factor: 4.330
Authors: Bernhard Fink; Marieke Wübker; Julia Ostner; Marina L Butovskaya; Anna Mezentseva; José Antonio Muñoz-Reyes; Yael Sela; Todd K Shackelford Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2017-08-21
Authors: Bruce D Keefe; Matthias Villing; Chris Racey; Samantha L Strong; Joanna Wincenciak; Nick E Barraclough Journal: Behav Res Methods Date: 2014-12