Effects of Attributes on Clinical Decisions

870 Words4 Pages
Running head: Effects of attributes on clinical decisions 1 Effects of doctors attributes on clinical decision David Hall SOC1001/SO1 JULY 30, 2013 Rebecca Stout Effects of attributes on clinical decisions Research Method The article that I chose for this assignment was The unexpected influence of physician 2 attributes on clinical decisions:Results of an experiment. This article was written in March of 2002 and examines if there is a a correlation between a “patients physical attributes, a doctors physical attributes or a combination of both that determines how clinical decisions are made.”(McKinley, J. B., Lin, T., Freund, K., & Moskowitz, M. 2002, p1). The tool of choice was an “experimental design (Cochran and Cox 1957; Hinkleman and Kempthorne 1997 p 1) allowing us to evaluate both individuals and group factors that may influence clinical decisions”(McKinlay, J. B., Lin, T., Freund, K., & Moskowitz, M. 2002 p1.) The way the researchers chose to implement there plan of action was to videotape 16 medical scenarios of actors portraying two different medical problems, and to be viewed among 128 different physicians. What was tryig to be studied was 1) The most lickley diagnosis. 2) The certantinty of that diagnosis. 3) How many tests would be ordered.the data would then be extrapolated mathematically.(McKinlay, Potter, and Feldman 1996; McKinlay et AL. 1997 Feldman et al. 1997 p1). As I stated earlier the experiment was conducted with multiple, 16, actors portraying two specific medical conditons. Depression and Polymyalgia Rheumatica PMR for short. “Each video presented a combination of four patient attributes (65 years or 80 years of age; male or female; black or white; blue or white collar occupation). Steps were taken to enhance external validity.”(McKinlay, Potter, and Feldman 1996; McKinlay et AL. 1997 Feldman et al. 1997 p1). After the

More about Effects of Attributes on Clinical Decisions

Open Document