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LetterCorrespondence

Re: Better Doctor-Patient Relationships Are Associated with Men Choosing More Active Depression Treatment

Ayodeji Otufowora
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine July 2019, 32 (4) 640; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2019.04.190079
Ayodeji Otufowora
Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions and College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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To the Editor: I commend David Kealy and colleagues1 on their work on the doctor-patient relationship and men's choice of depression treatment. However, I do have a few concerns that would benefit from clarification.

First, the gender of the physician is an important covariate that should be accounted for in any doctor-patient relationship, as it affects this dynamic and its outcomes.2 Roter and colleagues3 showed that female physicians engaged the patient in more positive conversation, gave more information, and built more partnership compared with the male physician; similarly, when patients are with female physicians, patients engage in more positive discussion and partnership building compared with male physicians.3 This article highlights men's choice regarding treatment and the relationship with their physician; controlling for the physician's gender could help improve the understanding of this doctor-patient relationship.

Second, the questionnaire implied that primary care doctors would administer the hypothetical treatment preference. Although I agree that primary care doctors often manage treatment-resistant depression,4 there exists a substantial section of the population that are referred to psychiatrists by primary care doctors.5 This article does not account for this population, especially given that attitudinal differences exist in managing depression and in terms of “professional ease in dealing with patients with depression” between general practitioners and psychiatrists.6 Thus, although the findings may apply to the primary care population, it excludes the treatment of depression in men managed by psychiatrists.

Notes

  • To see this article online, please go to: http://jabfm.org/content/32/4/000.full.

  • The above letter was referred to the author of the article in question, who offers the following reply.

References

  1. 1.↵
    1. Kealy D,
    2. Rice SM,
    3. Ferlatte O,
    4. Ogrodniczuk JS,
    5. Oliffe JL
    . Better doctor-patient relationships are associated with men choosing more active depression treatment. J Am Board Fam Med 2019;32:13–9.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
  2. 2.↵
    1. Bertakis KD
    . The influence of gender on the doctor–patient interaction. Patient Educ Couns 2009;76:356–60.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  3. 3.↵
    1. Roter D,
    2. Lipkin M Jr..,
    3. Korsgaard A
    . Sex differences in patients' and physicians' communication during primary care medical visits. Med Care. 1991;29:1083–93.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  4. 4.↵
    1. Schwenk TL,
    2. Evans DL,
    3. Laden SK,
    4. Lewis L
    . Treatment outcome and physician-patient communication in primary care patients with chronic, recurrent depression. Am J Psychiatry 2004;161:1892–901.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  5. 5.↵
    1. Peterson BD,
    2. Pincus HA,
    3. Suarez A,
    4. Zarin DA
    . Datapoints: referrals to psychiatrists. Psychiatr Serv 1998;49:449–449.
    OpenUrlPubMed
  6. 6.↵
    1. Kerr M,
    2. Blizard R,
    3. Mann A
    . General practitioners and psychiatrists: comparison of attitudes to depression using the depression attitude questionnaire. Br J Gen Pract 1995;45:89–92.
    OpenUrlAbstract/FREE Full Text
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The Journal of the American Board of Family     Medicine: 32 (4)
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Vol. 32, Issue 4
July-August 2019
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Re: Better Doctor-Patient Relationships Are Associated with Men Choosing More Active Depression Treatment
Ayodeji Otufowora
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Jul 2019, 32 (4) 640; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2019.04.190079

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Re: Better Doctor-Patient Relationships Are Associated with Men Choosing More Active Depression Treatment
Ayodeji Otufowora
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Jul 2019, 32 (4) 640; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2019.04.190079
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