Gender of physicians and patients and preventive care for community-based older adults

This study was undertaken to determine whether the gender of patients and physicians is a significant factor in deciding which older adults are offered preventive care.

A survey of medical records of ambulatory patients older than 60 years was performed in the practices of 210 physicians. Documentation of influenza vaccine, rectal examination, fecal occult blood test, Papanicolaou smear, pelvic examination, breast examination, mammogram, and pneumococcal vaccine was recorded, and rates of compliance were evaluated by sex of patient and physician.

The medical records of 3327 patients were surveyed. Men were given influenza and pneumococcal vaccines more frequently than women. Among physicians, women physicians were more likely to give influenza vaccine (P = 0.003) and to check for fecal occult blood (P < 0.001). No significant difference was found between men and women physicians in the frequency of doing Papanicolaou smears, breast examinations, rectal examinations, and mammograms.

While a difference in practice patterns was found between men and women physicians, most of the variance in compliance with preventive care guidelines was unexplained by the gender of physicians and patients. Matching of physician and patient by sex did not predict improved preventive care, indicating that other factors are involved in the failure to provide adequate primary preventive care to the ambulatory elderly.