Does doctors' personality differ from those of patients, the highly educated and other caring professions? An observational study using two nationally representative Australian surveys

Abstract

Objectives: Personality differences between doctors and patients can affect treatment outcomes. We examine these trait disparities, as well as differences across medical specialities.

Design: Retrospective, observational statistical analysis of secondary data.

Setting: Data from two data sets that are nationally representative of doctors and the general population in Australia.

Participants: We include 23 358 individuals from a representative survey of the general Australian population (with subgroups of 18 705 patients, 1261 highly educated individuals and 5814 working in caring professions) as well as 19 351 doctors from a representative survey of doctors in Australia (with subgroups of 5844 general practitioners, 1776 person-oriented specialists and 3245 technique-oriented specialists).

Main outcome measures: Big Five personality traits and locus of control. Measures are standardised by gender, age and being born overseas and weighted to be representative of their population.

Results: Doctors are significantly more agreeable (a: standardised score -0.12, 95% CIs -0.18 to -0.06), conscientious (c: -0.27 to -0.33 to -0.20), extroverted (e: 0.11, 0.04 to 0.17) and neurotic (n: 0.14, CI 0.08 to 0.20) than the general population (a: -0.38 to -0.42 to -0.34, c: -0.96 to -1.00 to -0.91, e: -0.22 to -0.26 to -0.19, n: -1.01 to -1.03 to -0.98) or patients (a: -0.77 to -0.85 to -0.69, c: -1.27 to -1.36 to -1.19, e: -0.24 to -0.31 to -0.18, n: -0.71 to -0.76 to -0.66). Patients (-0.03 to -0.10 to 0.05) are more open than doctors (-0.30 to -0.36 to -0.23). Doctors have a significantly more external locus of control (0.06, 0.00 to 0.13) than the general population (-0.10 to -0.13 to -0.06) but do not differ from patients (-0.04 to -0.11 to 0.03). There are minor differences in personality traits among doctors with different specialities.

Conclusions: Several personality traits differ between doctors, the population and patients. Awareness about differences can improve doctor-patient communication and allow patients to understand and comply with treatment recommendations.

Keywords: HEALTH ECONOMICS; Health economics; Health policy.

Figure 1

Comparison of personalities of doctors with the general population, patients, highly educated and caring professions. HILDA, Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia; MABEL, Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life.

Figure 2

CComparison of personalities between doctors. GPs, general practitioners; HILDA, Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia; MABEL, Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life; SPs, specialists.