Psychosocial Influences on Medical Decision Making

Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore MD

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Multiple studies have confirmed that racial, ethnic, and gender inequalities exist in the provision of healthcare in the United States. There has been much subsequent speculation about the role of physician decision making in the genesis of these disparities despite scant direct evidence of bias in physician decision making. The 2002 Institute of Medicine report Unequal Treatment therefore urged further research in the contribution of physician decision making to heal the care disparities. Psychological or social factors other than race and gender, but perhaps confounding them, may influence medical decision making. We plan to investigate the potential influence of psychosocial factors other than race and gender, such as personality, social, behavioral, and physical attributes on medical decision making. We will begin the investigation (SA#1) by surveying physicians to determine if physicians believe that patient psychosocial factors that are known to be preferred or disfavored by physicians influence their medical decisions. Subsequently (SA#2), we will test the influence of these factors on physician decision making using a case vignette/board examination approach based on Social Judgment Theory.