Plastic surgeons as hand surgery specialists: determinant factors of public’s perceptions

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: To assess the possible determinants that lead public to choose plastic surgeons as hand surgery specialists. METHODS: General public members (n = 701) were asked to choose one or two specialists that they perceived to be an expert in 11 hand surgery-related scenarios. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were applied to assess the possible determinants (socio-demographic data, source of reported information, and previous plastic surgery contact) of public choice of plastic surgeons as experts in the hand surgery-related scenarios. RESULTS: A significantly (all p < 0.05) poor understanding of the role of plastic surgeons was seen in infectious hand injury, hand tumor, hand fracture, hand tendon injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis deformity, and dupuytren contracture. Age was a significant (all p < 0.05) determinant of plastic surgeon as a response pattern. CONCLUSION: Participants' age was a determinant of public choose plastic surgeons as experts in hand surgery area.

Keywords

• brazil
• surgery plastic
• hand/surgery
• social perception