Factors influencing styles of medical practice: the use of psychiatric referrals by non-psychiatric physicians.
There is substantial variation between physicians in the extent to which they employ psychiatric referral as a mechanism for dealing with their patients who have psychiatric problems. A variety of factors, including personal characteristics, professional attitudes, training and practice characteristics, were hypothesized to influence styles of practice in this area of medicine. A regression equation with a multiple R of .71 indicated that personal characteristics and attitudes were particularly strongly related, but that practice and patient characteristics as well as training also play some role in influencing a physician's behavior.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002641:Chicago; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D010820:Physicians; D011570:Psychiatry; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014504:Urban Health