Gender Differences in Chest Pain Management
Author Information
Author(s): Bösner Stefan, Haasenritter Jörg, Hani Maren Abu, Keller Heidi, Sönnichsen Andreas C, Karatolios Konstantinos, Schaefer Juergen R, Baum Erika, Donner-Banzhoff Norbert
Primary Institution: Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, University of Marburg
Hypothesis
Are there gender differences in the management of chest pain by general practitioners?
Conclusion
Gender differences in management decisions for chest pain patients exist, but they do not lead to suboptimal care for women.
Supporting Evidence
- Men were referred for exercise tests more often than women (7.3% vs 4.1%).
- Men were admitted to the hospital more frequently than women (6.6% vs 2.9%).
- Gender differences in management ceased to exist after adjusting for typicality of chest pain.
Takeaway
Doctors treat men and women differently when they have chest pain, but this doesn't mean women get worse care.
Methodology
A prospective study involving 1212 chest pain patients across 74 primary care offices in Germany.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in GPs' assumptions about gender and CHD likelihood.
Limitations
Some findings are based on small numbers, and the Marburg CHD score may not fully capture typicality of chest pain.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 534 men and 678 women, with a mean age of 49 years for GPs.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.02 for exercise test, p < 0.01 for hospital admission
Confidence Interval
95% CI for various odds ratios reported
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website