Physicians’ attitudes to disability pension – impact of diagnosis: an experimental study

Bibliographic Details
Title: Physicians’ attitudes to disability pension – impact of diagnosis: an experimental study
Authors: Ashley McAllister, Allison Milner, Monika Engblom, Patrick Corrigan, Bo Burström
Source: BMC Health Services Research, Vol 21, Iss 1, Pp 1-8 (2021)
Publisher Information: BMC, 2021.
Publication Year: 2021
Collection: LCC:Public aspects of medicine
Subject Terms: Alcohol: depression: diagnosis, Disability income support, Mental health: stigma, Sweden, Public aspects of medicine, RA1-1270
More Details: Abstract Background The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of physicians’ attitudes towards disability pension applicants, and the impact of diagnosis. We hypothesize that physicians are more likely to think that patients with physical illnesses should get a disability pension than those with mental illness or alcohol dependence. Disability pension is an important source of income for those unable to work because of a disability and type of diagnosis should not impact accessing these benefits. Methods We conducted an experiment with a 2 by 3 factorial structure in Sweden. Each physician was randomly assigned one of six patient vignettes, with the same background description but with a different diagnosis. Each vignette had a diagnosis of either depression, alcohol dependence or low back pain, and was about a man or a woman. Logistic regression was used to examine the odds of a physician reporting that a patient should get a disability pension. Effects are reported in terms of odds ratios (ORs). Results 1414 Swedish registered physicians in psychiatry or general practice (24% response rate) completed the survey. Physicians assigned the alcohol dependent vignette had OR 0.45 (95% CI: 0.34 to 0.60) for perceiving that a patient should get a disability pension compared to physicians assigned the low back pain vignette. Physicians assigned the depression vignette had OR 1.89 (95% CI: 1.42 to 2.50) for perceiving that a patient should get a disability pension compared to physicians assigned the low back pain vignette. Conclusion The patient diagnosis was associated with the physicians’ response regarding if the patient should get a disability pension. A physician’s perception is likely to impact a patient’s access to disability pension.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1472-6963
Relation: https://doaj.org/toc/1472-6963
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-06043-2
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/b4d9271cdb314ce2ae3be9fd028b51b6
Accession Number: edsdoj.b4d9271cdb314ce2ae3be9fd028b51b6
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
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More Details
ISSN:14726963
DOI:10.1186/s12913-020-06043-2
Published in:BMC Health Services Research
Language:English