INFLUENCE OF SEX OF GENERAL-PRACTITIONER ON MANAGEMENT OF MENORRHAGIA

Background. There is an assumption that men and women general practiti oners adopt different practice styles in the management of gynaecologi cal disorders. However, there is little evidence to support this view. Aim. A study was undertaken to compare the practice styles of men and women general practitioners in the management of menorrhagia. Method. The study took place in 73 general practices in the Oxford Regional H ealth Authority area. A total of 348 patients who consulted 74 men gen eral practitioners and 43 women general practitioners with a complaint of menorrhagia were recruited into the study and completed postal que stionnaires nine and 18 months after entry into the study. Main outcom e measures were men and women general practitioners' awareness of pati ents' treatment preferences, treatment received by patients, patients' involvement in treatment decisions and patients' satisfaction with tr eatment received. Results. There were no statistically significant dif ferences in treatment received by patients of men and women general pr actitioners. Fewer patients consulting women general practitioners wer e referred to a gynaecologist compared with patients consulting men ge neral practitioners (56% versus 64%) and fewer underwent surgery (39% versus 47%). More patients consulting women general practitioners repo rted participation in treatment decisions (63% versus 53%) but more pa tients consulting men general practitioners were satisfied with the ca re they received (66% versus 55%). Again, these differences were not s tatistically significant. Conclusion. Although some indications of sex -associated differences in practice style were found in this study, th e similarities in practice styles of men and women general practitione rs were more striking than the differences.