Patient Gender and Psychotropic Prescribing. Executive Summary

摘要

The primary goal of this study was to examine how patient gender differences in the physician-patient interaction may influence differences in the prescribing of psychotropic medications to male and female patients in ambulatory care settings. A secondary data analysis of an existing data set of 508 audio-tapes of physician-patient interactions and interviews with each patient and physician from 11 different ambulatory care settings was conducted. Female patients were significantly more likely to express somatic complaints than male patients. Female and male patients were equally likely to express emotional complaints and social problems. Male patients, patients who expressed more emotional complaints, and patients who physicians perceived as being in worse emotional health were significantly more likely to receive a prescription for a psychotropic medication. Patient income, patient expression of social problems, physician rating of emotional problems, and whether a psychotropic medication was new or continued all significantly influenced whether physicians or patients initiated psychotropic prescribing. Physicians were not more likely to suggest psychotropic medications to female patients and female patients were not more likely to ask for psychotropic medications.