Table 4 The disguised paternalism indices among the different specialties and age groups for 2007 and 2020

GPs

(40–17)/17 = 1.35

(54–41)/41 = 0.32

Surgeons

(39–19)/19 = 1.05

(59–36)/36 = 0.64

Geriatricians

(30–25)/25 = 0.2*

(44–45)/45 = − 0.02*

Internists

(31–28)/28 = 0.11*

(63–53)/53 = 0.19*

Psychiatrists

(29–27)/27 = 0.07*

(54–35)/35 = 0.54

Oncologists

(27–26)/26 = 0.04*

(47–41)/41 = 0.15*

Palliativists

−

(15–30)/30 = − 0.5*

Age groups

< 46 years

(59–67)/67 = − 0.12*

(144–99)/99 = 0.45

46–60 years

(96–67)/67 = 0.55

(102–111)/111 = 0.08*

> 61 years

(41–13/13 = 2.2

(94–70)/70 = 0.34

Average (limits)

(196–142)/142 = 0.38

(336–281)/281 = 0.20