Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Anogenital Distance and Perineal Measurements of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse POP Quantification System
Published on: September 20, 2018
Determinants related to gender differences in general practice utilization: Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort
Jeanette Therming Jørgensen1, John Sahl Andersen2, Anne Tjønneland3
1a Centre for Epidemiology and Screening, Department of Public Health , University of Copenhagen , Copenhagen , Denmark ;
Objective:
This study aims to describe the determinants related to gender differences in the GP utilization in Danish population aged 50-65 years.
Design:
Cohort-based cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Danish general practice.
Subjects:
Totally, 54,849 participants of the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort (50-65 years).
Main Outcome Measures:
The sum of cohort members' face-to-face consultations with general practitioner (GP) at the cohort baseline year (1993-1997). We obtained data on GP visits from the Danish National Health Service Register at the cohort baseline (1993-1997), when information on lifestyle (smoking, body mass index (BMI), alcohol use, physical activity), medical conditions (somatic and mental), employment, education, gravidity, and hormone therapy (HT) use was collected by questionnaire.
Results:
Women had on average 4.1 and men 2.8 consultations per year. In a crude model, women had 47% higher rate of GP visits than men (incidence rate ratio: 1.47; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.45-1.50), which remained unchanged after adjustment for lifestyle, socio-demographic and medical factors, but attenuated to 18% (1.18; 1.13-1.24) after adjustment for female factors (gravidity and post-menopausal HT. In a fully adjusted model, subjects with hypertension (1.63; 1.59-1.67), mental illness (1.63; 1.61-1.66), diabetes (1.56; 1.47-1.65), angina pectoris (1.28; 1.21-1.34), and unemployed persons (1.19; 1.18-1.21) had highest rates of GP visits.
Conclusions:
Gravidity and HT use explain a large proportion, but not all of the gender difference in GP utilization. Medical conditions (somatic and mental) and unemployment are the main determinants of GP utilization in men and women, while lifestyle has minor effect. Key points Female gender remained a dominant determinant of GP utilization, after adjustment for lifestyle, socio-demography, medical and gender specific factors, with females consulting their GP 18% more often than males. Female reproductive factors (use of postmenopausal hormone therapy and gravidity) explained a large proportion of the gender variation in use of GP. Strongest determinants for GP use among Danish adults aged 50-65 years were the presence of medical conditions (somatic and mental) and unemployment, while lifestyle factors (e.g., body mass index, alcohol consumption and smoking) had minor effect.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Barriers to Effective Communication II
Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...
01:27Panic Disorder
01:30Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
01:20Disorders of the Male Reproductive System
Prostate disorders are another major concern. These conditions can impair urinary flow due to the prostate's location around the urethra....
01:21Nursing Assessment of the Genitourinary System I: Health History
01:18Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...