Do people prefer general practitioners of the same sex?

To explore people's preferences for their general practitioners' sex, testing the hypothesis that more women than men prefer a GP of the same sex.

A random sample of 1220 people in Victoria surveyed about visits to, satisfaction with, and preferences for their GP. A set of 14 characteristics of GPs and their practices revealed the preferences of consumers, and which were related to each other.

Twenty-four percent of women and 19% of men preferred to see a GP of the same sex. The most important characteristic was being 'a good doctor', associated with clinical and communication ability.

General practitioners' communication skills, experience and quality of care are more important to consumers than the age or sex of the GP.