Table 5.

Odds ratios for use of the four main types of management of social problems according to characteristics of doctors, patients, and their relationship^*

Variable	No of patients	Odds ratio (95% CI)	P value
Extra time in the consultation (allowed in 115 consultations, not in 113)
Sex of patient:
Male	75	1.0
Female	153	2.04 (1.16 to 3.58)	0.014
Advice about life situation (given in 93 consultations, not in 135)
Prior knowledge of patient:
Scant	67	1.0
Good	161	2.43 (1.06 to 5.57)	0.042
Psychotropic drug (prescribed in 44 consultations, not in 184)
Sex of doctor:
Male	182	1.0
Female	46	2.89 (1.09 to 7.66)	0.037
Sick leave (certified in 63 consultations, not in 165)
Age of patient:
16-39 years	73	1.0
40-59 years	97	1.37 (0.72 to 2.61)	0.343
⩾60 years	58	0.22 (0.08 to 0.62)	0.004

^*Data for 228 consultations, five missing due to lack of information on one of the variables.