Do Health Care Providers and Patients Differ in their Gender Preferences for Gastroenterologists?

Abstract

Purpose: Previous studies have suggested that women patients prefer women providers. However, no prior studies have shown if these same physician gender preferences extend to men and women healthcare providers for their own physician preferences. Aims: 1. To assess if health care providers (men and women) have gender preferences for gastroenterologists in an office visit and for a colonoscopic procedure. 2. To assess if there is a difference between patient preferences and health care providers preferences for gastroenterologists in an office visit and for a colonoscopy. 3. To assess if there is a difference between men and women health care provider preferences for gastroenterologists in an office visit and for a colonoscopic evaluation. Methods: Patients at primary care clinics at a VA and community hospitals were asked to complete a survey regarding gender preference for a GI physician from December 2008 to June 2009. Health care providers completed the same survey regarding their own physician preferences. Additional information surveyed included age, ethnicity, education, marital status, income, and health care insurance. Chi square analysis was used to analyze gender preference versus no preference for office visits and colonoscopic procedures in men and women patients and healthcare providers. A p value of <0.05 was statistically significant. Results: 1364 individuals consisting of 566 men and 274 women patients and 211 men and 313 women health care providers completed the surveys. There were no significant differences between men patients and providers and their gender preferences for a gastroenterologist. (Table 1). Women patients differed from women providers with respect to their gender preferences for both a GI office visit and for a colonoscopy. This difference was statistically significant. (Table 2). For providers there was a significant difference in GI office visit gender preferences for women and men (30.5% vs. 17.6%; p<0.001). Likewise, 43.1% of women providers had a gender preference for a colonoscopist compared to 26.1% of men providers (p<0.001).Table: Gender preference of Men patients and providersTable: Gender preference of women patients and providersConclusion: Women patients prefer to have women gastroenterologists. Women health care providers do not seem to have as strong a gender preference for a gastroenterologist as women patients. However, when compared to men health care providers women do have a gender preference for their gastroenterologist and colonoscopic evaluation. Gastoenterology offices and the current health care system may need to adapt to patient's preferences for GI providers.