PATIENT-PHYSICIAN GENDER MATCH AND THE PROMOTION OF PATIENT ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN PRIMARY CARE

Abstract

Effective patient-physician collaboration enhances patient experience and improves treatment outcomes. Engagement strategies, such as shared decision making, can be implemented into healthcare settings to facilitate active involvement of patients in their care. However, patient gender, physician gender, and the interaction of the two may impact the effectiveness of these strategies. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of patient and physician gender on the perceived promotion of patient engagement strategies in primary care. An online questionnaire was administered to 708 McMaster University undergraduate students to assess their general engagement, shared decision making, and satisfaction with care. Participants were grouped based on their identified gender (man, woman, or gender minority) and their physician's identified gender (man or woman). A Kruskal-Wallis H test was then run to assess between-group differences. While overall engagement scores did not differ significantly, it was found that man patients with woman physicians scored significantly higher for shared decision-making and satisfaction as compared to their woman patient counterparts, regardless of physician gender. Additionally, the gender minority patients with woman physicians scored significantly lower than other groups for satisfaction with care. These findings challenge prior research suggesting that gender concordance improves engagement and highlight the need for more inclusive healthcare research and education that considers diverse gender identities.