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Disease-centred versus patient-centred attitudes: comparison of general practitioners in Belgium, Britain and The

R Grol1, J de Maeseneer, M Whitfield

  • 1Department of General Practice, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Family Practice
|June 1, 1990
PubMed

Insights

Many general practitioners hold disease-centered attitudes, impacting care quality. Belgian doctors showed the highest disease-centeredness, while Dutch doctors showed the least, suggesting variations in doctor-patient relationships influence medical practice.

Area of Science:

  • General Practice
  • Medical Sociology
  • Healthcare Management

Background:

  • General practitioners' attitudes can shape healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
  • Previous research links disease-centered (doctor-centered) attitudes to suboptimal care indicators.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess and compare patient-centered versus disease-centered attitudes among general practitioners in Belgium, Britain, and the Netherlands.
  • To explore potential correlations between these attitudes and consultation practices.

Main Methods:

  • Survey of general practitioners across Belgium, Britain, and the Netherlands.
  • Attitudinal assessment focusing on patient-centered vs. disease-centered orientation.

Main Results:

  • A significant proportion of general practitioners exhibited disease-centered attitudes.
  • Belgian doctors displayed the highest prevalence of disease-centered attitudes; Dutch doctors showed the lowest.
  • Disease-centered attitudes were previously correlated with increased symptomatic medication prescription and poorer consultation standards.

Conclusions:

  • Differences in doctor-patient relationships across countries may explain variations in practitioner attitudes.
  • Findings necessitate discussions on doctor-patient dynamics and medical education reform in these nations.

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