Abstract
To assess the hypothesis that breast, genitourinary (GU), and rectal examinations are performed more frequently when the physician and patient are of the same gender, the authors reviewed the records of 529 patients in a house-staff medical clinic. They found no significant difference between gender-congruent and gender-incongruent patient encounters in the rates of these examinations. However, higher rates of performance by primary care house-staff compared with those of internal medicine housestaff were noted in all categories. The authors conclude that performances of breast, GU, and rectal examinations were not related to gender congruence but may have been associated with the bouseofficers’ training program.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Wallen J, Waitzkin H, Stoeckle JD. Physician stereotypes about female health and illness: a study of patients’ sex and the informative process during medical interviews. Women and Health. 1979;4:135–45.
Stewart M. Patient characteristics which are related to the doctor — patient interaction. Fam Pract. 1983;1:30–9.
Hooper EM, Comstock LM, Goodwin JM, et al. Patient characteristics that influence physician behavior. Med Care. 1982;20:630–8.
Verbrugge LM, Steiner RP. Physician treatment of men and women patients: sex bias or appropriate care? Med Care. 1981;19:609–32.
Hall JA, Roter DL, Katz NR. Meta-analysis of correlates of provider behavior in medical encounters. Med Care. 1988;26:657–72.
Armitage KJ, Schneiderman IJ, Bass RA. Response of physicians to medical complaints in men and women. JAMA. 1979;241:2186–7.
Bernstein B, Kane R. Physicians’ attitudes toward female patients. Med Care. 1981;19:600–8.
Broverman IK, Broverman DM, Clarkson R, Rosenkrantz P, Vogel S. Sex-role stereotypes and clinical judgements of mental health. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1970;34:1–7.
Cartwright LK. Personality differences in male and female medical students. Psychiatr. Med. 1972;3:213–24.
Carrwright LK. Personality changes in a sample of women physicians. J Med Educ. 1977;52:467–74.
Weisman CS, Teitelbaum MA. Physician gender and the physician—patient relationship: recent evidence and relevant questions. Soc Sci Med. 1985;20:1119–27.
Shapiro J, McGrath E, Anderson RC. Patients’, medical students’, and physicians’ perceptions of male and female physicians. Percept Mot Skills. 1983;56:179–90.
Philliber SG, Jones J. Staffing a contraceptive service for adolescents: the importance of sex, race, and age. Public Health Rep. 1982;97:165–9.
Kelly JM. Sex preference in patient selection of a family physician. J Fam Pract. 1980;11:427–33.
Comstock LM, Hooper EM, Goodwin JM, Goodwin JS. Physician behaviors that correlate with patient satisfaction. J Med Educ. 1982;57:105–12.
Highlen P, Gillis S. Effects of situational factors, sex, and attitude on affective self-disclosure and anxiety. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1978;25:270–84.
Young JW. Symptom disclosure to male and female physicians: effects of sex, physical attractiveness, and symptom type. J Behav Med. 1979;2:159–61.
Schreiner DT, Petrusa ER, Rettie CS, Kluge RM. Improving compliance with preventive medicine procedures in a house staff training program. South Med J. 1988;81:1553–7.
Morris PD, Morris ER. Family practice residents’ compliance with preventive medicine recommendations. Am J Prev Med. 1988;4:161–5.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received from the Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
Supported by the Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lin, R.N., Zabar, S.R. Physician-patient gender congruence and the physical examination. J Gen Intern Med 6, 466–468 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02598173
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02598173