National survey on physicians' attitudes toward social and sexual contact with patients

To determine the attitudes of physicians toward social and sexual contact with patients, we mailed a self-report survey to a nationwide randomized sample including general practitioners, internists, obstetrician-gynecologists, and ophthalmologists. The 777 physicians who responded specified whether or not behavior such as hugging, dating, and sexual contact with their own patients may be appropriate. Less than 1% of all respondents thought that sexual contact with patients was appropriate during patient consultations. Three percent of internists and obstetrician-gynecologists considered sexual contact with patients appropriate when concurrent with treatment but outside of patient consultation, as compared with 9% of general practitioners and 12% of ophthalmologists (X2 = 17.8, df = 3, P < .001). Nearly 50% of general practitioners and more than 50% of all other physicians thought that sexual contact might be appropriate after termination of treatment of a patient. These findings may facilitate professional discussion on standards for social and sexual contact with patients.