Do Our Women Prefer Female Obstetricians and Gynecologists? - A Cross-Sectional Survey at A Tertiary Hospital in Southwestern Nigeria Provider gender preference in south-western Nigeria Section Original Articles

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the provider gender preferences of obstetricians and gynecologists by female attendees at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo city, south-western Nigeria.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 500 consenting attendees at the site’s out-patient unit of the department of obstetrics and gynecology. Selection was by systematic random sampling technique using pre-tested, structured, self-administered questionnaires. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 26. Descriptive analysis was presented as tables and charts and summarized as means and standard deviation, proportions and percentages. Chi-square analysis was carried out to determine the association between variables, and regression analysis carried out to identify determinants of gender preference. P-value of ≤0.05 was considered as significant statistically.

Results: Of the 498 respondents’ data analyzed (response rate of about 99%), 62% had past pelvic examinations by female specialists and 58%, by males. In addition, 53% of total respondents preferred female specialists, 28% were gender indifferent and remainder preferred males. Furthermore, clinical competence was chosen by 41% of respondents as the most important attribute for a specialist performing pelvic examinations while only 7% selected gender. Finally, when subjected to tests of association, the differences in respondents’ socio-demographic characteristics and provider gender preferences were predominantly statistically insignificant.

Conclusion: Most of this cohort prefer pelvic examinations by female specialists with no dominant associated socio-demographic characteristic. However, a great majority chose attributes of clinical competence, empathy and friendly bedside manner of the provider in preference to the latter’s gender. It is recommended that specialists of both genders be made available to female health seekers to improve accessibility and reproductive health indicators in Nigeria.