Gender Disparities in Adverse Events Resulting From Low-Value Practices in Family Practice in Spain: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Int J Public Health. 2024 Jul 16:69:1607030. doi: 10.3389/ijph.2024.1607030. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate gender-based disparities in preventable adverse events due to low-value practices (LVPs) in primary care. Methods: A retrospective cohort study in Alicante, Spain. Results: A total of 1,516 patient records were examined, finding that older individuals and women experienced more LVP-related events. Female patients faced a higher volume of such events than males with the same health issue. Interaction analysis revealed patients treated by male physicians had more severe events, while those attended by females experienced milder ones. Adverse events were more frequent in LVPs associated with gender-based reasons. Conclusion: These results highlight the need for tailored healthcare professional awareness programs on overuse's impact on safety. Addressing outcome differences between male and female patients should inform awareness campaigns.

Keywords: adverse events; low value practice; overuse; patient safety; primary care.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Family Practice*
  • Female
  • Healthcare Disparities
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Primary Health Care
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sex Factors
  • Spanien

Grants and funding

The authors declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work is supported by Project Prometeu 2021/061 granted by Conselleria de Innovación, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital, Generalitat Valenciana. AS-G was supported by a predoctoral contract for training in research by Miguel Hernández University of Elche (2022/PER/00002). Throughout the composition of this manuscript, JJM benefited from an augmented research activity contract granted by the Carlos III Health Institute (reference INT22/00012).