The influence of GP and patient gender interaction on the duration of certified sickness absence
Open Access
- 3 February 2006
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Family Practice
- Vol. 23 (2), 246-252
- https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmi110
Abstract
Background. Little research has focused upon how GP and patient gender interact to influence the outcome of consultation. In particular, no UK studies have investigated the effect of gender interaction on the duration of patients' certified sickness. Objective. To investigate associations between the four GP–patient gender interaction categories and patient risk of intermediate or long-term work incapacity. Methods. Design: Use of carbonized sickness certificates to collect routine sick note data over a 12-month collection period. Setting: Nine general practices in the Mersey Primary Care R&D Consortium. Subjects: A total of 3906 patients, certified sick by 67 GPs (including 45 GP principals). Main outcome measures: The effect of gender interaction was measured against two outcomes: intermediate (6–28 week) and long-term (28 weeks or over) periods of certified sickness. Results. After univariate and multivariate analyses, it was discovered that certification of male patients by male GPs was significantly associated with increased prevalence of intermediate (6–28 week) certified sickness outcomes, compared with females certified by females (OR = 1.38 P = 0.009). This result was replicated in the subgroup of patients with mild mental disorder-related sickness absence. However, no association was demonstrated between gender interaction and long-term (≥28 week) outcome, in the total patient group or within diagnostic subcategories. Conclusion. GP and patient gender appear to have most impact upon sickness certification in the intermediate period. This period is already recognized as the optimum time for interventions to prevent onset of long-term incapacity, particularly in cases where the cause of sickness absence is reversible (as in psychological-related certified sickness absence). Further research is needed (particularly focusing upon attitudes and content of consultations) in order to shed more light on the gender differences found in this study.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- Depression in men attending a rural general practice: factors associated with prevalence of depressive symptoms and diagnosisThe British Journal of Psychiatry, 2004
- Physician Gender Effects in Medical CommunicationJAMA, 2002
- Variations in sick-listing practice among male and female physicians of different specialities based on case vignettesScandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 2000
- Sick-listing habits among general practitioners in a Swedish countyScandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 2000
- Sickness absence: a review of performed studies with focused on levels of exposures and theories utilizedScandinavian Journal of Public Health, 1998
- The Influence of Gender on Physician Practice StyleMedical Care, 1995
- Gender in medical encounters: An analysis of physician and patient communication in a primary care setting.Health Psychology, 1994
- Influence of the Doctor??s Gender in the Satisfaction of the UsersMedical Care, 1993
- Reconceptualizing gender in physician-patient relationshipsSocial Science & Medicine, 1993
- Inter-doctor Variation in Sickness CertificationScandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care, 1990