Health
Some patients who see female doctors could live longer, study suggests: ‘Higher empathy’
Patients who are treated by a female physician could live longer and have a reduced risk of hospitalization, new research has found.
These benefits were seen more in female patients compared to males, according to the study, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
“Among older adults hospitalized for a medical condition, mortality and readmission rates were lower for patients treated by female physicians than those cared for by male physicians — and the benefit of receiving treatment from female physicians was greater for female patients than for male patients,” lead study author Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa, associate professor-in-residence of medicine in the division of general internal medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, told Fox News Digital.
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The study included 700,000 Medicare beneficiaries 65 years of age and older who had been hospitalized between 2016 and 2019.
The mortality rate was 8.15% for female patients treated by female physicians — compared to 8.38% for those treated by male physicians, according to a press release from UCLA Health.
Patients who are treated by a female physician could live longer and have a reduced risk of hospitalization, new research found. (iStock)
Dr. Shana Johnson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in Scottsdale, Arizona, who was not involved in the research, noted that the findings are “clinically significant,” as the difference translates to an additional 1,053 female patient deaths.
Male patients also had lower mortality rates when treated by female physicians, but the difference was smaller.
Why the difference?
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the study but called the findings “fascinating.”
“Women tend to have a higher empathy quotient, which can impact patient care and diagnosis and treatment directly,” he told Fox News Digital.
“There has been a patriarchy in medicine for a long time, and there still may be some residual discounting of women’s health issues or [doctors] seeing them as emotionally based,” Siegel added.
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There is a “growing awareness” that doctors are more sensitive to health issues when they can relate directly to their patients, the doctor noted.
“This applies to screening, diagnosis and treatment,” he said.
“Women tend to have a higher empathy quotient, which can impact patient care and diagnosis and treatment directly,” one doctor old Fox News Digital. (iStock)
The findings were not surprising to the researchers, they said.
“Previous studies have shown that female patients treated by a female physician (versus female patients treated by a male physician) are less likely to experience underappreciation in symptom/illness severity assessment and communication challenges,” study co-author Atsushi Miyawaki, M.D., PhD, senior assistant professor in the Department of Health Services Research at the University of Tokyo, told Fox News Digital.
“Also, female physicians may help alleviate embarrassment, discomfort and sociocultural taboos during sensitive examinations and conversations [with] female patients,” he said.
“Mortality and readmission rates were lower for patients treated by female physicians than those cared for by male physicians.”
Other research has shown that female physicians are more likely to “adhere to clinical guidelines” and spend more time listening to patients compared to their male counterparts, which are “indicators of high-quality care,” added Tsugawa.
Johnson agreed, pointing out that prior studies have found male physicians may underestimate pain, gastrointestinal symptoms and heart symptoms when experienced by women.
There is a “growing awareness” that doctors are more sensitive to health issues when they can relate directly to their patients, one medical professional said. (iStock)
“For instance, if a male and a female presented to the emergency room with upper stomach pain, the male would be checked for a heart attack and given medication for an upset stomach,” she told Fox News Digital.
“The woman, however, may only be given medication for an upset stomach.”
Study limitations
The study had some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.
“Due to limited clinical information available in our data, we could not identify the specific mechanisms underlying better outcomes for female patients treated by female physicians,” Tsugawa told Fox News Digital.
More research is needed to better understand the differences between female and male physicians, the researchers said. (iStock)
Miyawaki also noted that the study focused on older patients admitted to hospitals for medical conditions.
“Hence, our findings may not be generalizable to younger patients, commercially insured patients, those treated by other specialists or patients receiving care in an outpatient setting,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Individuals may focus on the importance of the doctor-patient relationship rather than on whether to choose a female doctor.”
More research is needed to better understand the differences between female and male physicians, Tsugawa said.
“Those include guideline concordance and communication style, which lead to better patient outcomes for female physicians.”
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Johnson also noted that while the study is of “good quality,” there are “inherent limitations to the study design.”
She said, “With a retrospective review, unmeasured factors can affect and skew the results. The findings do align with other research in the area, however.”
The research suggests that increasing the number of female physicians could benefit women’s health overall, one of the study authors said. (iStock)
At the society level, Miyawaki said, the research suggests that increasing the number of female physicians could benefit women’s health.
“At the individual level, patient-physician interactions, rather than physician gender itself, are important for patient outcomes, our study suggests,” he said.
“Thus, individuals may focus on the importance of the doctor-patient relationship rather than on whether to choose a female doctor.”
Tsugawa agreed, noting, “It is important to consider multiple factors about physicians, such as their clinical experience and training, your prior experiences with them, and their communication style, rather than focusing solely on the physician’s sex.”
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A popular class of weight-loss drugs may prevent life-threatening cardiac complications by opening microscopic blood vessels that often remain blocked after a heart attack, according to a study published this week in Nature Communications.
The research, led by the University of Bristol and University College London, identified a biological brain-gut-heart signaling pathway.
This discovery appears to explain how GLP-1 drugs — which mimic glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite — protect heart tissue from a condition known as “no-reflow.”
“In nearly half of all heart attack patients, tiny blood vessels within the heart muscle remain narrowed, even after the main artery is cleared during emergency medical treatment,” Dr. Svetlana Mastitskaya, the study’s lead author and a senior lecturer at Bristol Medical School, said in a press release.
“This results in a complication known as ‘no-reflow,’ where blood is unable to reach certain parts of the heart tissue.”
In nearly half of all heart attack patients, tiny capillaries (blood vessels) remain narrowed even after the main blocked artery is cleared. (iStock)
This lack of blood flow increases the risk of heart failure and death within a year. GLP-1 medications could prevent this, according to the researchers.
How it works
When the GLP-1 hormone is released in the gut or administered as a drug, it sends a signal to the brain, which then sends a signal to the heart that switches on special potassium channels in tiny cells called pericytes.
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When these channels open, the pericytes relax, which allows the small blood vessels (capillaries) to widen and improve blood flow to the heart muscle, the researchers noted.
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The new study used animal models and cellular imaging to track how GLP-1 interacts with heart tissue. When the researchers removed the potassium channels, the drugs no longer protected the heart — confirming they play a key role.
The findings suggest that existing GLP-1 medications, already used for type 2 diabetes and obesity, could be repurposed as emergency treatments. (iStock)
The findings suggest that existing GLP-1 medications, already used for type 2 diabetes and obesity, could be repurposed as emergency treatments during or immediately after a heart attack to reduce tissue damage.
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The researchers noted several limitations, including that the study relied on animal models.
Clinical trials are necessary to determine whether the brain-gut-heart pathway operates with the same timing and efficacy in humans.
While the study highlights the drug’s immediate benefits during a heart attack, it des not establish whether long-term use of these drugs provides a pre-existing level of protection. (iStock)
Additionally, while the study highlights the drug’s immediate benefits during a heart attack, it does not establish whether long-term use of the medication provides a pre-existing level of protection.
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The research was primarily funded by the British Heart Foundation.
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Collagen supplements have exploded in popularity, touted as everything from an anti-aging miracle to a muscle recovery booster.
But a sweeping new review conducted by U.K. researchers suggests that while collagen may help improve skin elasticity and ease arthritis pain, it does little for athletic performance or wrinkle reduction.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University analyzed 16 systematic reviews and 113 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 8,000 participants worldwide, which they say is the most extensive evaluation of collagen’s health effects to date.
The review found consistent evidence that collagen supplementation improves skin elasticity and hydration over time and provides significant relief from osteoarthritis-related joint pain and stiffness, according to findings published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum.
A large U.K. review found that collagen supplements may improve skin elasticity and hydration over time. (iStock)
The researchers, however, did not find meaningful improvements in post-exercise muscle recovery, soreness or tendon mechanical properties (strength, springiness and stretch resistance).
“Collagen is not a cure-all, but it does have credible benefits when used consistently over time, particularly for skin and osteoarthritis,” co-author Lee Smith, professor of public health at Anglia Ruskin University, said in a statement.
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“Our findings show clear benefits in key areas of healthy aging, while also dispelling some of the myths surrounding its use,” Smith added.
Collagen, the most abundant protein in the body, supports skin, bones, tendons, cartilage and connective tissue, according to experts. Natural collagen production begins to drop in early adulthood and declines more sharply with age.
The study found that collagen supplements may help reduce joint pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis. (iStock)
The review found that long-term collagen supplementation was linked to improved skin firmness and hydration, but did not help skin roughness — a proxy for visible wrinkles.
Benefits appear to accumulate gradually, suggesting that collagen should not be viewed as an “anti-wrinkle ‘quick fix,’ but as a foundational dermal support for individuals seeking holistic skin maintenance,” the researchers said.
“If we define anti-aging as a product or technique designed to prevent the appearance of getting older, then I believe our findings do support this claim for some parameters,” Smith told the BBC. “For example, an improvement in skin tone and moisture is associated with a more youthful-looking appearance.”
Collagen supplementation was linked to reduced pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis, with stronger benefits seen over longer periods of use, and showed modest improvements in muscle mass and tendon structure that may support healthy aging.
Collagen did not significantly improve skin roughness, a marker of visible wrinkles. (iStock)
However, it did not show meaningful results when used as a fast-acting sports performance supplement, and evidence for benefits related to cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and oral health was mixed or inconclusive.
Dr. Daniel Ghiyam, a California-based physician and longevity specialist, said the findings align with what he sees in clinical practice.
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“Collagen is a targeted support tool, not a foundation of health or performance,” Ghiyam, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “When marketed that way, it makes sense. When marketed as a cure-all, it doesn’t hold up to the data.”
The authors noted that while many previous collagen studies have received financial support from the supplement industry, the current review did not receive industry funding.
Experts say collagen supplements may offer modest benefits for skin hydration and joint comfort, but they are not a cure-all. (iStock)
The team called for more high-quality clinical trials examining long-term outcomes, optimal dosages and differences between collagen sources, such as marine, bovine and plant-based alternatives.
Among its limitations, the review could not determine whether certain forms of collagen work better than others or what the optimal regimen should be.
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While the review included randomized controlled trials, the quality of the studies varied, with newer research generally showing stronger results.
Experts say more data and studies are needed to build on the findings. They also noted that diet plays a crucial role in skin health.
Collagen supplements, often sold as powders or pills, may improve skin elasticity and ease joint pain, experts say. (iStock)
Dr. Erum Ilyas, a Pennsylvania-based dermatologist and chair of dermatology at Drexel University College of Medicine, noted that the review analyzed previously published meta-analyses rather than generating new primary data.
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“At this time, I have not seen sufficiently strong independent evidence to routinely recommend collagen supplements to my patients,” Ilyas, who was not involved in the review, told Fox News Digital.
“Although some studies show modest improvements in markers such as hydration and elasticity, there remains limited independent, biopsy-confirmed evidence demonstrating sustained increases in dermal collagen content,” she added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the researchers for comment.
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