Keywords: Primary Health Care; General Practitioners; personality traits; Big Five model; patient profile; Greece

Background:

The personality traits (PTs) of Primary Health Care (PHC) professionals may influence communication, decision-making, and potentially the patient profiles they manage. The General Practitioners (GPs) personality study examined PTs of GPs in nine European countries (Israel, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, and Turkey). While the Big Five PTs have been studied concerning clinical behavior, their association with patient case-mix in chronic disease remains unclear. This study presents findings from Greece.

Research questions:

Does a GP’s personality, based on the Big Five model, predict the distribution of chronic disease categories in their patient population in Greek PHC?

Method:

This cross-sectional study involved 82 GPs from PHC units across Greece who answered an online questionnaire. The data included demographics, estimated patient numbers per chronic disease category, and PTs using the validated IPIP-50 inventory (measuring Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability and Openness to Experience). Descriptive statistics profiled GPs and their patient populations. Associations were tested using Spearman’s rho, and multiple linear regressions assessed the predictive role of PTs across seven chronic conditions.

Results:

Extraversion was positively associated with the number of diabetic patients managed (rho=0.30; p=0.005), possibly reflecting the value of interpersonal engagement in chronic care. No significant associations were found between PTs and other chronic conditions. Regression models showed poor predictive validity (R² near zero or negative). No correlations emerged between personality and GP demographics (age, experience, chronic illness history). Notable gender differences emerged: male GPs scored higher in Emotional Stability and Openness to Experience.

Conclusions:

The personality traits of GPs, particularly extraversion, may have a modest influence on the patient profile in diabetes care, but appear to have limited predictive power overall. These results suggest that systemic and epidemiological factors have a stronger influence on case composition. Future mixed-method studies may clarify how personality influences trust, engagement, and clinical decisions in PHC.

Points for discussion:

To what extent should personality traits be considered in GP workforce development and training?

Could matching GP traits with patient needs improve chronic disease care?