Social and sexual contact between general practitioners and patients in New Zealand: attitudes and prevalence.
BACKGROUND
Doctor-patient social and sexual contact is increasingly acknowledged as an issue of importance for the medical profession. However, there is little research concerning general practitioners on this topic.


OBJECTIVE
A study was undertaken to obtain data on social and sexual contact between general practitioners and their patients.


METHODS
An anonymous questionnaire was mailed to a nationwide randomized sample of 217 general practitioners in New Zealand.


RESULTS
A response rate of 86% was obtained. Dating and sexual contact with patients was considered to be sometimes or usually acceptable to 35% and 10% of general practitioners, respectively. Of respondents, 6% reported having dated a patient, 4% reported having had sexual contact with a patient at some point during their career and 2% reported having engaged in sexual contact with a former patient. General practitioners who had personally known of a colleague who had engaged in sexual contact with a patient were more likely to believe this behaviour had negative consequences than general practitioners who themselves reported having engaged in sexual contact with a patient.


CONCLUSIONS
The study results have implications for developing behavioural guidelines and educational interventions for general practitioners.
Coverdale
J H
JH
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, University of Aukland, New Zealand.
Thomson
A N
AN
White
G E
GE
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family; D028743:Professional Misconduct; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012919:Social Behavior