Physician’s and patient’s gender influence on suicide risk assessment: a cross-sectional study

Background The association between patient and physician gender and suicide risk assessment is understudied, despite known differences in suicidal behaviors among genders.Aims To estimate the association between physicians’ sociodemographics and their rating of suicide risk and the need for hospital...

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Main Authors: Milène Barboteo, Aurélie M. Lasserre, Joseph Studer, Sebastien Brovelli, Carole Clair, Laurent Michaud
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2024.2438433
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author Milène Barboteo
Aurélie M. Lasserre
Joseph Studer
Sebastien Brovelli
Carole Clair
Laurent Michaud
author_facet Milène Barboteo
Aurélie M. Lasserre
Joseph Studer
Sebastien Brovelli
Carole Clair
Laurent Michaud
author_sort Milène Barboteo
collection DOAJ
description Background The association between patient and physician gender and suicide risk assessment is understudied, despite known differences in suicidal behaviors among genders.Aims To estimate the association between physicians’ sociodemographics and their rating of suicide risk and the need for hospitalization in men and women.Method In an anonymous online survey, physicians rated the suicide risk and the need for hospitalization of two clinical vignettes (one male and one female patient) and answered sociodemographic questions. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the associations between the vignettes’ gender and physician’s characteristics with the ratings of suicide risk and hospitalization needs.Results Of the 473 physicians who answered the survey, 407 were eligible for the study. Independently of other socio-demographics, (i) male physicians rated suicide risk and hospitalization need lower than their female counterparts, (ii) scores for female and male patients didn’t differ, and (iii) physicians rated higher hospitalization need for same-gender patients.Limitations We used a binary categorization for gender, which does not account for non-binary and other gender identities.Conclusion Physician gender impacts evaluations of suicide risk and the need for hospitalization. Future studies should explore how physician gender affects clinical practice and inform gender-sensitive medical training.
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spelling doaj-art-8ae919da516d4178b34ed411eac6ba5e2025-08-20T02:38:03ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Psychology2331-19082025-12-0112110.1080/23311908.2024.2438433Physician’s and patient’s gender influence on suicide risk assessment: a cross-sectional studyMilène Barboteo0Aurélie M. Lasserre1Joseph Studer2Sebastien Brovelli3Carole Clair4Laurent Michaud5Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandAddiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandAddiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandLiaison Psychiatry Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandHealth and Gender Unit, Department of Ambulatory Care, University Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandLiaison Psychiatry Service, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandBackground The association between patient and physician gender and suicide risk assessment is understudied, despite known differences in suicidal behaviors among genders.Aims To estimate the association between physicians’ sociodemographics and their rating of suicide risk and the need for hospitalization in men and women.Method In an anonymous online survey, physicians rated the suicide risk and the need for hospitalization of two clinical vignettes (one male and one female patient) and answered sociodemographic questions. Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate the associations between the vignettes’ gender and physician’s characteristics with the ratings of suicide risk and hospitalization needs.Results Of the 473 physicians who answered the survey, 407 were eligible for the study. Independently of other socio-demographics, (i) male physicians rated suicide risk and hospitalization need lower than their female counterparts, (ii) scores for female and male patients didn’t differ, and (iii) physicians rated higher hospitalization need for same-gender patients.Limitations We used a binary categorization for gender, which does not account for non-binary and other gender identities.Conclusion Physician gender impacts evaluations of suicide risk and the need for hospitalization. Future studies should explore how physician gender affects clinical practice and inform gender-sensitive medical training.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2024.2438433Menwomengendersuicide risk assessmentphysiciansAllied Health
spellingShingle Milène Barboteo
Aurélie M. Lasserre
Joseph Studer
Sebastien Brovelli
Carole Clair
Laurent Michaud
Physician’s and patient’s gender influence on suicide risk assessment: a cross-sectional study
Cogent Psychology
Men
women
gender
suicide risk assessment
physicians
Allied Health
title Physician’s and patient’s gender influence on suicide risk assessment: a cross-sectional study
title_full Physician’s and patient’s gender influence on suicide risk assessment: a cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Physician’s and patient’s gender influence on suicide risk assessment: a cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Physician’s and patient’s gender influence on suicide risk assessment: a cross-sectional study
title_short Physician’s and patient’s gender influence on suicide risk assessment: a cross-sectional study
title_sort physician s and patient s gender influence on suicide risk assessment a cross sectional study
topic Men
women
gender
suicide risk assessment
physicians
Allied Health
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311908.2024.2438433
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