On the provider side, physician gender emerged as a major independent predictor of delayed diagnosis in young adults. Female primary care providers were 23% more likely to promptly diagnose hypertension in affected young adults than were their male colleagues.
Dr. Heather M. Johnson
Family physicians were 16% less likely than general internists, ob.gyns., or other primary care providers to make the diagnosis in affected young adults. This was a finding of borderline statistical significance (P = 0.047), and Dr. Johnson said she doesn’t draw any strong conclusions from it.
She and her coworkers are conducting interviews with primary care providers in the group practice to learn how to improve hypertension diagnosis rates in young adults within the time constraints of a busy practice. The findings from this study will be used to develop tailored primary care interventions. This will entail provider education programs as well as upgraded electronic medical record notification systems.
Her work is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. She reported having no relevant financial disclosures.