[Patients' assessment of their general practitioners--the significance of physician gender and age].
BACKGROUND
The aim of the present study was to examine to which extent the patients' assessment of their general practitioner was associated which the gender and age of the physician.


METHODS
A survey among patients registered with the GPs assessing 23 aspects of the GP-patient relationship, medical care, information and support, organisation of care and accessibility. Analyses of associations between the assessments and the gender and age of the physicians.


RESULTS
A total of 703 doctors participated in the study. Assessments from 56,652 patients were included in the analyses (response rate 73.1%). We found that patients perceived male physicians as more accessible than their female colleagues. The younger doctors were assessed more positively than their older colleagues on certain aspects, but the numeric differences between the groups were minor.


CONCLUSIONS
Female general practitioners may benefit from paying more attention to the accessibility aspect. Older physicians may benefit from emphasizing their patients' need for participation, information and a sense of continuity.
Heje
Hanne N
HN
Forskningsenheden for Almen Praksis i Arhus, Aarhus Universitet, DK-8000 Arhus C, Denmark. hh@alm.au.dk
Olesen
Frede
F
Vedsted
Peter
P
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000592:standards*; D010822:Physicians, Women / Q000592:standards; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires