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Fever as a predictor of doctor shopping in the paediatric population

Keith W Hariman1, Stacey C Lam, Yvette W S Lam

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Medical Journal = Xianggang Yi Xue Za Zhi
|February 5, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Doctor shopping is common in caregivers of acutely ill children in Hong Kong, with over half engaging in the practice. Most caregivers are unaware of the potential dangers associated with consulting multiple doctors without referral.

Area of Science:

  • Paediatric healthcare
  • Health services research
  • Patient behaviour studies

Background:

  • Doctor shopping, defined as consulting multiple doctors for medical advice without referral, is a concern in healthcare systems.
  • Understanding the prevalence and factors influencing doctor shopping is crucial for improving patient care and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of doctor shopping among caregivers of children with acute paediatric conditions in Hong Kong.
  • To identify factors associated with doctor shopping behaviour.
  • To explore caregivers' reasons for doctor shopping and their awareness of potential risks.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted using face-to-face surveys.
  • Data were collected from caregivers of children admitted to a paediatric unit in a Hong Kong teaching hospital.
  • Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with doctor shopping.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of doctor shopping was 53% among the studied caregivers.
  • Fever was the only significant clinical factor associated with doctor shopping (OR=2.4).
  • Persistence of symptoms was the most common reason cited, and 75.5% of caregivers were unaware of the potential dangers.

Conclusions:

  • Doctor shopping is highly prevalent in caregivers of children with acute paediatric conditions.
  • A significant knowledge gap exists regarding the potential complications of doctor shopping.
  • Educational interventions are needed to inform caregivers about the risks and the natural progression of acute illnesses.
Abstract

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