Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine potential gender bias in recommendations of further
examination and rehabilitation in primary care for patients with chronic
musculoskeletal pain after an interdisciplinary team assessment. METHODS: The population consisted of consecutive patients (n = 589 women, 262 men) referred
during a 3-year period from primary healthcare for assessment by
interdisciplinary teams at a pain specialist rehabilitation clinic. Patient data
were collected from the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation. The
outcome was defined as the examination or rehabilitation that was specified in
the patient's record. RESULTS: Men had a significantly higher likelihood than
women of being recommended physiotherapy and radiological examination, and the
gender difference was not explained by confounding variables and covariates (age,
marital status, ethnicity, education, working status, pain severity, pain
interference, pain sites, anxiety and depression). There was no significant
gender difference in recommendations to treatment by specialist physician,
occupational therapist, psychologist or social worker.
CONCLUSION: Our findings
indicate that the interdisciplinary teams in specialist healthcare may
discriminate against women with chronic pain when physiotherapy and radiological
investigation are recommended. The team's choice of recommendations might be
influenced by gendered attitudes, but this field of research needs to be studied
further.

Langue : ANGLAIS