Clinicians’ preferences and attitudes towards the use of lithium in the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorders around the world: a survey from the ISBD Lithium task force

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders

Table 1 Clinicians' sociodemographic and professional characteristics

Variables categories	N.	Percentage (%)^b
Age
25–35	181	25
36–45	190	26
46–55	151	21
56–64	134	18
≥ 65	75	10
Sex
Female	324	45
Male	404	56
Professional category
Other	35	5
Psychiatrist	610	84
Trainee/resident	83	11
Years practicing since finished training
≤ 5	149	21
6–15	219	30
16–34	205	28
≥ 35	83	12
Trainee/resident	68	9
Sector^a
Public	528	73
Private	200	28
Area^a
Urban	545	75
Rural	28	4
Both	152	21
Level of complexity of health care centre^a
Primary	38	5
Secondary	338	47
Tertiary	209	29
Other	14	2
More than one	126	17
Setting^a
Inpatient	114	16
Outpatient	346	48
Partial hospitalization	31	4
Other	7	1
More than one setting	227	31
Patients’ age^a
Children (up to 12 years)	3	0
Adolescents (13–17 years)	27	4
Adults (18–65 years)	675	93
Elderly (> 65 years)	23	3

^aQuestions referred to the predominant option where clinicians’ provided their professional services
^bPercentages are calculated within each variable