Influence of sex of general practitioner on management of XXXX .

@entity1 @entity931
BACKGROUND: There is an assumption that @entity1 and @entity1 general practitioners adopt different practice styles in the management of gynaecological disorders. However, there is little evidence to support this view. AIM: A study was undertaken to compare the practice styles of @entity1 and @entity1 general practitioners in the management of @entity931 . METHOD: The study took place in 73 general practices in the Oxford Regional Health Authority area. A total of 348 @entity1 who consulted 74 @entity1 general practitioners and 43 @entity1 general practitioners with a complaint of @entity931 were recruited into the study and completed postal questionnaires nine and 18 months after entry into the study. Main outcome measures were @entity1 and @entity1 general practitioners' awareness of @entity1 ' treatment preferences, treatment received by @entity1 , @entity1 ' involvement in treatment decisions and @entity1 ' satisfaction with treatment received. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in treatment received by @entity1 of @entity1 and @entity1 general practitioners. Fewer @entity1 consulting @entity1 general practitioners were referred to a gynaecologist compared with @entity1 consulting @entity1 general practitioners (56% versus 64%) and fewer underwent surgery (39% versus 47%). More @entity1 consulting @entity1 general practitioners reported participation in treatment decisions (63% versus 53%) but more @entity1 consulting @entity1 general practitioners were satisfied with the care they received (66% versus 55%). Again, these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Although some indications of sex-associated differences in practice style were found in this study, the similarities in practice styles of @entity1 and @entity1 general practitioners were more striking than the differences.
