Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Canadian Family Physician logoLink to Canadian Family Physician
. 1999 Apr;45:935–942.

Physician characteristics and the physician-patient relationship. Impact of sex, year of graduation, and specialty.

J Barnsley 1, A P Williams 1, R Cockerill 1, J Tanner 1
PMCID: PMC2328332  PMID: 10216792

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of physician sex, medical specialty, and year of graduation from medical school with attitudes and behaviours that define physician-patient relationships. Hypotheses tested are that women physicians, family physicians, and recent graduates spend more time discussing lifestyle and general health issues during patients' first visits; are more likely to report behaviours that are empathetic and that encourage communication with patients; are less likely to view their role as directive and problem-oriented; and are more supportive of patients' rights to information and participation in decision making. DESIGN: A survey was mailed to a stratified random sample of physicians between February and June 1996. SETTING: Physician practices in Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: Of 714 practising Ontario physicians, 405 (57%) responded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of time and actual time spent discussing a patient's lifestyle during a first visit, communication style, attitudes regarding a directive approach to care, and attitudes regarding patients' rights. RESULTS: Women physicians and family physicians spent significantly more time discussing lifestyle during a first visit. Women, family physicians, and recent graduates were significantly more likely to report an empathetic communication style. Women and recent graduates were significantly less likely to have a directive, problem-oriented approach to care. Family physicians were significantly less supportive of patients' rights than medical and surgical specialists were. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians in this study reported empathetic communication styles and attitudes that support information sharing and patients' rights.

Full text

PDF
935

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bensing J. Doctor-patient communication and the quality of care. Soc Sci Med. 1991;32(11):1301–1310. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(91)90047-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bertakis K. D., Helms L. J., Callahan E. J., Azari R., Robbins J. A. The influence of gender on physician practice style. Med Care. 1995 Apr;33(4):407–416. doi: 10.1097/00005650-199504000-00007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Buller M. K., Buller D. B. Physicians' communication style and patient satisfaction. J Health Soc Behav. 1987 Dec;28(4):375–388. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Coulter A. Partnerships with patients: the pros and cons of shared clinical decision-making. J Health Serv Res Policy. 1997 Apr;2(2):112–121. doi: 10.1177/135581969700200209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Day S. C., Norcini J. J., Shea J. A., Benson J. A., Jr Gender differences in the clinical competence of residents in internal medicine. J Gen Intern Med. 1989 Jul-Aug;4(4):309–312. doi: 10.1007/BF02597403. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Deber R. B. Physicians in health care management: 7. The patient-physician partnership: changing roles and the desire for information. CMAJ. 1994 Jul 15;151(2):171–176. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Deber R. B. Physicians in health care management: 8. The patient-physician partnership: decision making, problem solving and the desire to participate. CMAJ. 1994 Aug 15;151(4):423–427. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Greenfield S., Kaplan S., Ware J. E., Jr Expanding patient involvement in care. Effects on patient outcomes. Ann Intern Med. 1985 Apr;102(4):520–528. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-102-4-520. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Haug M. R., Lavin B. Practitioner or patient--who's in charge? J Health Soc Behav. 1981 Sep;22(3):212–229. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Inui T. S. What are the sciences of relationship-centered primary care. J Fam Pract. 1996 Feb;42(2):171–177. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Kaplan S. H., Greenfield S., Ware J. E., Jr Assessing the effects of physician-patient interactions on the outcomes of chronic disease. Med Care. 1989 Mar;27(3 Suppl):S110–S127. doi: 10.1097/00005650-198903001-00010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Kramer D., Ber R., Moore M. Impact of workshop on students' and physicians' rejecting behaviors in patient interviews. J Med Educ. 1987 Nov;62(11):904–910. doi: 10.1097/00001888-198711000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Lamberts H., Hofmans-Okkes I. Values and roles in primary care. J Fam Pract. 1996 Feb;42(2):178–180. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Linn L. S., Lewis C. E. Attitudes toward self-care among practicing physicians. Med Care. 1979 Feb;17(2):183–190. doi: 10.1097/00005650-197902000-00008. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Ong L. M., de Haes J. C., Hoos A. M., Lammes F. B. Doctor-patient communication: a review of the literature. Soc Sci Med. 1995 Apr;40(7):903–918. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(94)00155-m. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Povar G. J. Primary care: questions raised by a definition. J Fam Pract. 1996 Feb;42(2):124–128. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Probst J. C., Greenhouse D. L., Selassie A. W. Patient and physician satisfaction with an outpatient care visit. J Fam Pract. 1997 Nov;45(5):418–425. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Roter D., Lipkin M., Jr, Korsgaard A. Sex differences in patients' and physicians' communication during primary care medical visits. Med Care. 1991 Nov;29(11):1083–1093. doi: 10.1097/00005650-199111000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Solberg L. I., Brekke M. L., Kottke T. E. How important are clinician and nurse attitudes to the delivery of clinical preventive services? J Fam Pract. 1997 May;44(5):451–461. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Stewart M. A. What is a successful doctor-patient interview? A study of interactions and outcomes. Soc Sci Med. 1984;19(2):167–175. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(84)90284-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Weisman C. S., Teitelbaum M. A. Physician gender and the physician-patient relationship: recent evidence and relevant questions. Soc Sci Med. 1985;20(11):1119–1127. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(85)90189-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Williams A. P., Domnick-Pierre K., Vayda E., Stevenson H. M., Burke M. Women in medicine: practice patterns and attitudes. CMAJ. 1990 Aug 1;143(3):194–201. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Family Physician are provided here courtesy of College of Family Physicians of Canada

RESOURCES