If you want the best treatment
from your GP, make sure you look a million
dollars, UK researchers suggest.
A study found GPs perceived
affluent patients as more attractive than
patients from deprived backgrounds.
The authors of the study,
in a Royal Society of Medicine journal, say
this could be one reason why richer patients
tend to receive better care.
But GP leaders say it is
important "not to jump to conclusions" and
that GPs strive to provide an equitable service.
Money matters
Dr Dermot O'Reilly and colleagues
at Queen's University in Belfast took photos
of 300 affluent and disadvantaged patients
from 15 GP surgeries in Northern Ireland.
The photos were then examined
by 30 GPs from practices other than those
used by the patients.
Based on the images alone,
GPs rated patients from higher socio-economic
backgrounds as being more attractive than
their poorer peers.
Younger patients were also
rated as more attractive than older patients.
The average difference in
measures of attractiveness between affluent
and deprived patients was the equivalent of
30 years - the difference between someone
aged 30 and someone aged 60.
The difference was also more
pronounced among the GPs working in the most
socio-economically deprived areas.
Equity
Dr O'Reilly said: "We know
that patients from lower socio-economic groups
tend to have shorter consultations, receive
less information, are less likely to get a
prescription or to be referred to specialist
care than the more affluent.
"While it is unfortunate
that we judge people on their appearance,
the psychology literature shows that humans
are conditioned to do so.
"Our study has found that
this also occurs during the patient/doctor
encounter."
He said GPs and health workers
should be aware of this potential bias and
try to offset it to ensure that deprived patients
are not inadvertently further disadvantaged.
Professor Mayur Lakhani,
chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners,
said: "We must not jump to conclusions.
"I want to reassure the public
that GPs take seriously their duty to provide
patients with high quality care irrespective
of their background. Good general practice
has an important role in helping the disadvantaged."
But he added: "We must, however,
remain vigilant about the issue to ensure
that the NHS does everything possible to reduce
health inequalities."
