Psychological Androgyny and Preference for Intubation in a Nypothetical Case of End-stage Lung Disease

Abstract

Psychological androgyny theory (PAT) was employed as a model of the interpersonal (social) and task activities required of physicians for care of their patients. According to PAT, indi viduals with a large repertoire of task and social skills ("androgynous" individuals) should be optimally adaptable to contingencies reflecting varying combinations of task and social challenges. The authors examined the relationship between androgyny and preference for intubation on a patient management problem involving end-stage lung disease for 67 general internists and internal medicine housestaff from two hosptials. Results revealed a negative relationship between androgyny and preference for intubation, suggesting that androgynous and nonandrogynous physicians respond differently to complex and difficult decision-making tasks. Indirect evidence is offered to suggest that this response reflects a general tendency to utilize fewer health care resources. Discussion focuses on the need to improve the pre cision of measurement of these latent constructs. Key words: androgyny; critical care; health care; resource use. (Med Decis Making 1990;10:215-222)