Sex differences in psychiatrists' practice patterns and incomes.

OBJECTIVE AND METHOD

Using data from the APA's 1988-1989 Professional Activities Survey, the authors compared male and female psychiatrists on demographic characteristics, training, practice patterns, and income.

RESULTS

In keeping with previous studies' findings, female respondents on the average were younger than male respondents and more likely to have taken a residency or fellowship in child or adolescent psychiatry, worked fewer hours per week, allocated their working hours differently among types of activities, saw fewer patients per week, and worked in somewhat different settings. Multiple regression analysis showed that women had significantly lower mean net annual income than men after the effects of those predictors were statistically controlled.

CONCLUSIONS

Differences in age, training, hours worked in specific settings, and numbers of patients do not completely account for the gender gap in psychiatrists' annual incomes.