TY - JOUR
T1 - Characteristics of specialists treating hypothyroid patients
T2 - the “THESIS” collaborative
AU - Žarković, Miloš
AU - Attanasio, Roberto
AU - Nagy, Endre V.
AU - Negro, Roberto
AU - Papini, Enrico
AU - Perros, Petros
AU - Cohen, Chagit Adler
AU - Akarsu, Ersin
AU - Alevizaki, Maria
AU - Ayvaz, G. ksun
AU - Bednarczuk, Tomasz
AU - Berta, Eszter
AU - Bodor, Miklos
AU - Borissova, Anna Maria
AU - Boyanov, Mihail
AU - Buffet, Camille
AU - Burlacu, Maria-Cristina
AU - Ćirić, Jasmina
AU - Díez, Juan J.
AU - Dobnig, Harald
AU - Fadeyev, Valentin
AU - Field, Benjamin C. T.
AU - Fliers, Eric
AU - Frølich, Jacob Stampe
AU - Führer, Dagmar
AU - Galofré, Juan Carlos
AU - Hakala, Tommi
AU - Jiskra, Jan
AU - Kopp, Peter
AU - Krebs, Michael
AU - Kršek, Michal
AU - Kužma, Martin
AU - Lantz, Mikael
AU - Lazúrová, Ivica
AU - Leenhardt, Laurence
AU - Luchytskiy, Vitaliy
AU - McGowan, Anne
AU - Melo, Miguel
AU - Metso, Saara
AU - Moran, Carla
AU - Morgunova, Tatyana
AU - Mykola, Tronko
AU - Beleslin, Biljana Nedeljković
AU - Niculescu, Dan Alexandru
AU - Perić, Božidar
AU - Planck, Tereza
AU - Poiana, Catalina
AU - Puga, Francisca Marques
AU - Robenshtok, Eyal
AU - Rosselet, Patrick
AU - Ruchala, Marek
AU - Riis, Kamilla Ryom
AU - Shepelkevich, Alla
AU - Unuane, David
AU - Vardarli, Irfan
AU - Visser, W. Edward
AU - Vrionidou, Andromachi
AU - Younes, Younes R.
AU - Yurenya, Elena
AU - Hegedüs, Laszlo
N1 - Funding Information: The authors wish to thank all national endocrine and thyroid professional organizations and their members who responded to the THESIS questionnaire. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2023 Žarković, Attanasio, Nagy, Negro, Papini, Perros, Cohen, Akarsu, Alevizaki, Ayvaz, Bednarczuk, Berta, Bodor, Borissova, Boyanov, Buffet, Burlacu, Ćirić, Díez, Dobnig, Fadeyev, Field, Fliers, Frølich, Führer, Galofré, Hakala, Jiskra, Kopp, Krebs, Kršek, Kužma, Lantz, Lazúrová, Leenhardt, Luchytskiy, McGowan, Melo, Metso, Moran, Morgunova, Mykola, Beleslin, Niculescu, Perić, Planck, Poiana, Puga, Robenshtok, Rosselet, Ruchala, Riis, Shepelkevich, Unuane, Vardarli, Visser, Vrionidou, Younes, Yurenya and Hegedüs.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Introduction: Thyroid specialists influence how hypothyroid patients are treated, including patients managed in primary care. Given that physician characteristics influence patient care, this study aimed to explore thyroid specialist profiles and associations with geo-economic factors. Methods: Thyroid specialists from 28 countries were invited to respond to a questionnaire, Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Europe by Specialists: an International Survey (THESIS). Geographic regions were defined according to the United Nations Statistics Division. The national economic status was estimated using World Bank data on the gross national income per capita (GNI per capita). Results: 5,695 valid responses were received (response rate 33·0%). The mean age was 49 years, and 65·0% were female. The proportion of female respondents was lowest in Northern (45·6%) and highest in Eastern Europe (77·2%) (p <0·001). Respondent work volume, university affiliation and private practice differed significantly between countries (p<0·001). Age and GNI per capita were correlated inversely with the proportion of female respondents (p<0·01). GNI per capita was inversely related to the proportion of respondents working exclusively in private practice (p<0·011) and the proportion of respondents who treated >100 patients annually (p<0·01). Discussion: THESIS has demonstrated differences in characteristics of thyroid specialists at national and regional levels, strongly associated with GNI per capita. Hypothyroid patients in middle-income countries are more likely to encounter female thyroid specialists working in private practice, with a high workload, compared to high-income countries. Whether these differences influence the quality of care and patient satisfaction is unknown, but merits further study.
AB - Introduction: Thyroid specialists influence how hypothyroid patients are treated, including patients managed in primary care. Given that physician characteristics influence patient care, this study aimed to explore thyroid specialist profiles and associations with geo-economic factors. Methods: Thyroid specialists from 28 countries were invited to respond to a questionnaire, Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Europe by Specialists: an International Survey (THESIS). Geographic regions were defined according to the United Nations Statistics Division. The national economic status was estimated using World Bank data on the gross national income per capita (GNI per capita). Results: 5,695 valid responses were received (response rate 33·0%). The mean age was 49 years, and 65·0% were female. The proportion of female respondents was lowest in Northern (45·6%) and highest in Eastern Europe (77·2%) (p <0·001). Respondent work volume, university affiliation and private practice differed significantly between countries (p<0·001). Age and GNI per capita were correlated inversely with the proportion of female respondents (p<0·01). GNI per capita was inversely related to the proportion of respondents working exclusively in private practice (p<0·011) and the proportion of respondents who treated >100 patients annually (p<0·01). Discussion: THESIS has demonstrated differences in characteristics of thyroid specialists at national and regional levels, strongly associated with GNI per capita. Hypothyroid patients in middle-income countries are more likely to encounter female thyroid specialists working in private practice, with a high workload, compared to high-income countries. Whether these differences influence the quality of care and patient satisfaction is unknown, but merits further study.
KW - Europe
KW - endocrinologists
KW - healthcare delivery
KW - hypothyroidism
KW - questionnaire
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85177456203&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1225202
DO - https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2023.1225202
M3 - Article
C2 - 38027187
SN - 1664-2392
VL - 14
JO - Frontiers in Endocrinology
JF - Frontiers in Endocrinology
M1 - 1225202
ER -