Table 3.

Primary Care Physicians (n = 374): Self-Reported Practice Among the Underserved, Stratified by Physician Sex, Religious Characteristics, and Intrinsic Motivations

Practice Among the Underserved
BivariateMultivariate
Characteristics (n*)%POR (95% CI)
Note: Bivariate results present percentages of physicians in each predictor category who report their patient populations are considered underserved. Tests of association are by survey design adjusted χ2 tests. These values are followed by multivariate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), which are by survey design adjusted logistic regression tests that control for age, sex, ethnicity, region, foreign medical graduation, board certification, loan repayment, and working in an academic medical center (test for sex also controls for religious characteristics and intrinsic motivations).
* The n values do not all sum to 374 because of partial nonresponse.
P <.05.
Sex
Male (248)30.801.0 (referent)
Female (120)310.7 (0.3–1.3)
Religious characteristics
Spirituality
    Low (87)201.0 (referent)
    Moderate (164)29.012.0 (1.0–4.1)
    High (116)393.0 (1.5–6.1)
Intrinsic religiosity
    Low (110)301.0 (referent)
    Moderate (106)22.080.9 (0.4–1.7)
    High (140)361.4 (0.8–2.5)
Attendance at religious services
    Never (29)401.0 (referent)
    Once a month or less (157)28.430.6 (0.3–1.5)
    Twice a month or more (180)300.8 (0.3–1.8)
Religious affiliation
    None (37)401.0 (referent)
    Catholic (75)320.7 (0.3–1.8)
    Jewish (35)22.510.4 (0.2–1.3)
    Other religion (58)270.8 (0.3–2.1)
    Protestant (162)290.7 (0.3–1.5)
Religious beliefs influence medicine
    Strongly disagree/disagree (143)271.0 (referent)
    Agree (145)23<.0010.9 (0.5–1.5)
    Strongly agree (76)493.0 (1.6–5.5)
Intrinsic motivations for work
Family emphasized service to poor
    Strongly disagree/disagree (77)201.0 (referent)
    Agree (181)33.081.8 (0.9–3.5)
    Strongly agree (108)331.9 (0.9–4.0)
Practice of medicine is a calling
    Strongly disagree/disagree (103)251.0 (referent)
    Agree (135)25.611.1 (0.6–2.0)
    Strongly agree (123)311.5 (0.8–2.7)