Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2000 Nov 15;26(8):554-8.
doi: 10.1016/s0212-6567(00)78721-x.

[Influence of the patient's gender in the management of anxiety/depressive profiles]

[Article in Spanish]
M E Moreno Luna  1 , E Clemente Lirola, M J Piñero Acín, M R Martínez Matías, F Alonso Gómez, F J Rodríguez Alcalá
Affiliations

[Influence of the patient's gender in the management of anxiety/depressive profiles]

[Article in Spanish]
M E Moreno Luna et al. Aten Primaria. .

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Objectives: To find whether the diagnosis-therapy approach of doctors to people with symptoms of anxiety-depression differs depending on whether the patient is a man or a woman.

Design: Crossover, descriptive study through a postal questionnaire, based on clinical cases.

Setting: Primary Care (PC) in Castilla-La Mancha.

Participants: PC doctors working in the public domain.

Measurements and main results: We designed two models of questionnaire which only varied in the sex of the patient. Each model consisted of five clinical hypotheses, two on anxiety-depression and three others, whose aim was to mask the first two, on organic pathology. The sample was divided into two halves, with a different model of questionnaire placed in each half. We received back 273 (34.2%) of the 800 questionnaires sent out. Average age was 41, and 70.4% were men. In hypothesis 1, which analysed the therapeutic attitude to a patient with various episodes of atypical "knotting sensation" precordialgia, through ECG, normal examination and analysis, we found that in 77.2% of women, against 58.5% of men, treatment with anxiolytic drugs was prescribed (p < 0.01, chi 2 = 9.97). Psychological support at the consultation was opted for in 52.1% of women against 33.9% of men (p < 0.01, chi 2 = 7.89). However, doctors opted to refer to the cardiologist 9.5% of women against 24.5% of men (p < 0.01, chi 2 = 10.01). In hypothesis 2, doctors were asked about their first diagnosis of a smoking patient with asthenia, anorexia, difficulties in concentration and various months of non-specific sick feelings. 55.7% of women were diagnosed as having an anxiety-depression profile against 34.3% of men (p < 0.01, chi 2 = 13.67). The doctor's sex in hypothesis 2 led to no significant differences.

Conclusions: The approach of primary care doctors to patients with symptoms of anxiety and depression differs with the sex of the patient. We prescribe more anxiolytic drugs, give more psychological support and think more of functional causes when our patient is a woman.

Objetivo: Conocer si la actitud diagnostico-terapeutica de los medicos ante personas con sintomas de ansiedad-depresion es diferente segun el paciente sea varon o mujer.

Diseno: Descriptivo, transversal, por encuesta postal, basada en casos clinicos.

Emplazamiento: Atencion primaria (AP) de Castilla-La Mancha.

Participantes: Medicos de AP que ejercen en el ambito publico.

Mediciones y resultados principales: Disenamos dos modelos de encuesta que solo variaban en cuanto al sexo del paciente, cada uno de los cuales se componia de cinco supuestos clinicos, dos de ellos sobre ansiedad-depresion y otros tres, cuyo fin era el de enmascarar a los dos primeros, sobre patologia organica. Se dividio la muestra en dos mitades, remitiendo a cada una de ellas un modelo de encuesta diferente. De las 800 encuestas enviadas, recibimos 273 (34,2%). Edad media, 41,1 anos. Un 70,4% eran varones. En el supuesto 1 que analizaba la actitud terapeutica ante un/a paciente con varios episodios de dolor precordial atipico «sensacion de nudo», con ECG, exploracion y analitica normales, encontramos que en el 77,2% de las mujeres se pauto tratamiento con ansioliticos, frente a un 58,5% de los varones (p < 0,01, χ2 = 9,97). Se opto por apoyo psicologico en consulta en un 52,1% de las mujeres frente al 33,9% de varones (p < 0,01, χ2 = 7,89). Sin embargo, optaron por derivar al cardiologo al 9,5% de las mujeres frente al 24,5% de los varones (p < 0,01, χ2 = 10,01). En el supuesto 2, en el que se interrogaba sobre la primera sospecha diagnostica ante un/a paciente fumador/a con astenia, anorexia, dificultad para concentrarse y mareos inespecificos de varios meses de evolucion, un 55,7% de mujeres fue diagnosticado de cuadro ansioso-depresivo frente al 34,3% de los varones (p < 0,01, χ2 = 13,67). Analizando el supuesto 2 segun el sexo del medico, no encontramos diferencias significativas.

Conclusiones: La actitud de los medicos de AP ante pacientes con sintomas ansioso-depresivos difiere segun sea el sexo del paciente. Prescribimos mas ansioliticos, prestamos mas apoyo psicologico y pensamos mas en causa funcional, cuando nuestro paciente es mujer.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Bobes J., Sáiz P., González M.P., Bousoño M. Trastornos del humor (afectivos) de tipo depresivo. In: Bobes J., Bousoño M., González M.P., editors. Manejo de los trastornos mentales y del comportamiento en asistencia primaria. I. Gofer; Oviedo:: 1995. pp. 139–148.
    1. Roca M., Bernardo M. Masson; Barcelona:: 1996. Trastornos depresivos en patologías médicas.
    1. Alonso-Fernández F. Manejo del enfermo depresivo en atención primaria. El Médico. 1998;681:24–43.
    1. Delgado J.L., Martín M.V. Trastorno de ansiedad: ¿es un diagnóstico fácil? Formación Médica Continuada. 1998;5:533–538.
    1. Vieta E. Diagnóstico de los trastornos mentales más prevalentes en atención primaria. Salud Mental. 1998;1:154–166.

Publication types

Substances