Table 3.

Defensive medicine: frequencies and correlations with acknowledgement of defensive practice and with anxiety

	Per cent of defensive practice or behaviours	Correlation with acknowledgement of defensive practice	Correlation with anxiety
Acknowledgement of defensive practice	62.1%	1.00	0.30*
Defensive behaviours
Suicidal patients
Advises unwarranted hospitalisation	54.2%	0.34†	0.47†
Increases follow-up	75.6%	0.23†	0.25‡
Initiates contact with family	93.3%	−0.11	0.10
Consults senior psychiatrist	52.6%	0.14	0.20
Refers to another professional	65.9%	0.01	0.17
Prescribes medication without indication	10.4%	0.09	−0.03
Changing or initiating new medication
Informs about severe yet rare side effects	72.9%	−0.10	0.18
Records that explained about side effects	74.2%	0.06	0.08
Informs of increased risk of suicidality	47.3%	−0.01	0.23‡
Pregnant patients
Avoids medication altogether	46.8%	0.05	0.39†
Prescribes a smaller dosage	45.6%	0.27†	0.05
Elderly patients
Informs of cerebrovascular diseases risk	55.4%	−0.06	0.18
Prescribes a smaller dosage	91.9%	0.23†	0.01

*p<0.05.

†p<0.001.

‡p<0.10.