ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of physicians' gender when sex-specific conditions are being treated in a country where almost half of the physicians are women. Five Finnish surveys originally conducted for other purposes were reanalyzed. Two surveys examined physicians' and medical students' views about hormone therapy during and after menopause, one survey examined medical students' attitudes about medicines, one survey examined physicians' obstetric practices, and one examined contraceptive counselling. All the surveys showed more similarities than differences in the clinical decision-making of women and men physicians. In opinions about menopause the physician's medical specialty was more important than gender. Physicians' obstetrical practices were also similar in five cases out of six, but in one situation where medical factors were not a deciding issue, women physicians acted differently. These results suggest that socialization into the medical profession makes physicians' practices more alike and diminishes gender differences.
PIP: To determine the effect of gender on the type of reproductive health treatment offered to women in a setting where half of the physicians are female, this study reanalyzed data collected from five surveys in Finland. The surveys were originally conducted to investigate the views of physicians (74% of 500 responding) and medical students (74% of 125 responding) about menopausal hormone replacement therapy, the attitudes of medical students about prescribing hormones, obstetric practices (83% of 90 responding), and contraceptive counseling (74% of 480 responding). It was found that the number of menopausal patients was highest for female gynecologists, followed by male gynecologists, female physicians, and male physicians. Female and male gynecologists offered similar recommendations for hormone replacement therapy, but female physicians were more likely to prescribe hormones for prevention only. Results for medical students were not influenced by gender. The only significant difference in obstetric practice was that female obstetricians were three times more likely than males to induce labor for convenience. While equal numbers of female and male physicians prescribed oral contraceptives and IUDs, females were more likely to prescribe condoms, implants, and diaphragms. It is concluded that professional identification among these physicians was stronger than gender influences.
