What patient attributes are associated with thoughts of suing a physician?
OBJECTIVE
To address a neglected research area: the attributes of rehabilitation patients associated with "thoughts of suing a physician" (S-MD).


METHODS
The S-MD statement "I am thinking about suing one of my doctors" was administered to 2264 people, along with the Battery for Health Improvement (BHI 2). Items predictive of S-MD were identified.


METHODS
Acute physical therapy, work hardening programs, chronic pain programs, physician offices, and vocational rehabilitation programs.


METHODS
Participants included 777 rehabilitation patients and 1487 nonpatient community-dwellers.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
We used a multivariate analysis of variance to determine which of the 18 BHI 2 scales predicted the S-MD statement. Items from the scales found to be predictive, plus other variables, were then used in a chi-square analysis that compared people who wished to sue with those who did not. We then used a stepwise regression analysis with significant items from the prior analyses to build a model for predicting a potential S-MD patient.


RESULTS
The highest percentage (11.5%) of patients affirming the S-MD statement were those involved in workers' compensation and personal injury litigation, compared with only 1.9% of community-living subjects. Stepwise regression of BHI 2 variables produced a 13-variable model explaining 38.04% of the variance. A logistic regression of demographic variables (eg, education, ethnicity, litigiousness) explained 20% of the variance.


CONCLUSIONS
Anger (P<.001), mistrust (P<.001), a focus on compensation (P<.001), addiction (P<.001), severe childhood punishments (P<.001), having attended college (P<.001), and other patient variables were associated with thoughts of suing a physician.
Fishbain
David A
DA
Rosomoff Comprehensive Pain and Rehabilitation Center, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
Bruns
Daniel
D
Disorbio
J Mark
JM
Lewis
John E
JE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000523:psychology; D006261:Headache / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000523:psychology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014942:Workers' Compensation; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000523:psychology