TABLE 5.
Effect of physicians’ demographics and practice characteristics on methods used to diagnose liver fibrosis
| Noninvasive methods | Liver biopsy | P | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, years | 0.02 | ||
| <40 | 15 (26.8) | 15 (31.3) | |
| 40–50 | 13 (23.2) | 20 (41.7) | |
| 50–60 | 16 (28.6) | 11 (22.9) | |
| >60 | 12 (21.4) | 2 (4.1) | |
| Sex | 0.22 | ||
| Male | 47 (83.9) | 35 (72.9) | |
| Female | 9 (16.1) | 13 (27.1) | |
| Primary specialty | 0.15 | ||
| Gastroenterology | 31 (55.4) | 36 (75) | |
| Hepatology | 11 (19.6) | 6 (12.5) | |
| Infectious diseases | 6 (10.7) | 4 (8.3) | |
| Other | 8 (14.3) | 2 (4.2) | |
| Years of practice | 0.09 | ||
| <5 | 4 (7.1) | 10 (20.8) | |
| 5–10 | 12 (21.4) | 8 (16.7) | |
| 10–20 | 14 (25) | 16 (33.3) | |
| >20 | 26 (46.5) | 14 (29.2) | |
| Practice location | 0.05 | ||
| University-based hospital | 32 (57.1) | 21 (44) | |
| Community hospital | 10 (17.9) | 19 (40) | |
| Private practice | 14 (25) | 8 (17) | |
| Time dedicated to patients’ care | 0.90 | ||
| <50 | 6 (10.7) | 5 (10.4) | |
| 50–75 | 9 (16.1) | 10 (20.8) | |
| >75 | 41 (73.2) | 33 (68.8) | |
| Province | 0.62 | ||
| Ontario | 23 (41.1) | 19 (39.6) | |
| Quebec | 21 (37.6) | 17 (35.4) | |
| British Columbia | 5 (8.9) | 5 (10.4) | |
| Alberta | 6 (10.7) | 1 (2.1) | |
| Rest of Canada | 1 (1.7) | 6 (12.5) |
Data presented as n (%). Bolded values indicate statistical significance