Observational studyBMJ open2024
Low-value practices in primary care: a cross-sectional study comparing data between males and females in Spain.
Observational study in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05233852 (A Framework to Analyze Gender Bias in the Overuse Studies Conducting in Primary Care), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
A Framework to Analyze Gender Bias in the Overuse Studies Conducting in Primary Care
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- [Primary care research: The science of proximity - How can we transform everyday practice into a driver of scientific progress?]Anales del sistema sanitario de Navarra · 2026Article
- Initial Imaging for Adults With Maxillofacial Trauma in a National Claims Database.JAMA network open · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionOveruse of medical services is a challenge worldwide, posing a threat to the quality of care, patient safety and the sustainability of healthcare systems. Some data suggest that females receive more low-value practices (LVPs)-defined as medical interventions that provide little or no benefit to patients and can even cause harm-than males. This study aims to evaluate and compare the occurrence of LVPs in primary care among both males and females.
designA retrospective study was conducted.
settingPrimary care in the Alicante province (Spain) during 2022.
participantsData were extracted from the digital medical records of 978 936 patients attended by 1125 family physicians across 262 primary healthcare centres in the Alicante province. OUTCOME MEASURES: Data on age, sex, diagnosis and treatment were extracted. The primary outcome measure was the frequency of 12 selected LVPs prescribed to male and female patients. These LVPs were expected to be relatively frequent occurrences with the potential to cause harm.
resultsA total of 45 955 LVPs were identified, of which 28 148 (5.27% of 534 603, CI95% 5.20-5.32) were prescribed to female patients and 17 807 (4.00% of 444 333, CI95% 3.95-4.06) to male patients (x², p value <0.0001). The most common LVPs were prescribing treatment for overactive bladder without excluding other pathologies that may cause similar symptoms (30.87%), using hypnotics without having a previous aetiological diagnosis in patients with difficulty maintaining sleep (14%) and recommending analgesics (NSAIDs, paracetamol and others) for more than 15 days per month in primary headaches that do not respond to treatment (13.33%).
conclusionsFuture clinical training, management and research must consider biological differences or those based on gender factors when analysing the frequency and causes of LVP. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05233852.
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