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

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.