Perceived patients' rights by health care workers and patients at Bamrasnaradura Institute, Ministry of Public Health, 2004

Abstract

The objectives of this cross-sectional descriptive research were to assess perceived patients' rights by Health Care Workers (HCWs) and patients at Bamrasnaradura Institute; to study its relationship with respondents' socio-demographic; and to examine the association between HCWs' perceived patients' rights and their practice. The HCWs consisted of doctors, registered nurses, technical nurses, and nurse aids working at the Institute during January 20th to February 20th, 2004. The study focused on patients attending the Out Patient Department of the Institute during that period. Two types of self-administered questionnaire were used to collect data from the two groups of population. The questionnaire was based on the ten items on the Declaration of Patients' Rights in Thailand (April 16, 1998). It was field tested for reliability, using Cronbach Alpha co-efficient, with 20 HCWs and 20 outpatients at Bangkruay hospital. Altogether, 199 HCWs and 400 patients were included in the study. The majority of the HCWs is female, age between 40-49 years old, married, with minimum education at undergraduate level. Most of the patients is also female, at 31-40 years old, married, and with bachelor degree. The results showed that HCWs' perception of patients' rights and their practices were reported at high level. The highest percentage of perception by HCWs was item 2, patients' right to receive full medical service regardless of their ethnic origin and socio-economic status; and item 8, their rights to demand current information regarding their role in the research and the risk involved. The lowest percentage was item 9, the right to know or to fully demand information that appeared in the medical records. The patients who participated in the study perceived patients' rights at high level, and also reported receiving its practices from HCWs at high level. The patients were most aware of item 1, the fundamental rights to receive medical services, with highest percentage. The lowest percentage for patient's rights perception for the patients were the same as that of HCWs, item 9. Test of association showed that HCWs' socio-demographic characteristics, that is, level of education, work position and work experiences, is associated with their perception of patients' rights (p< 0.05). As for the patients, there was a statistically significant relationship between their education level and occupation and their perception of patients' rights (p<0.05). There were statistically significant different practices of patients' rights among different groups of HCWs (p<0.05). In addition, HCWs' perception of patients' rights were associated with their practices (p<0.05). This study found many factors that cause low perception of patients' rights: first, both HCWs and patients do not have motivation to practice such rights, second, insufficient number of HCWs and patients, finally, the lack of attention and thorough understanding of patients’ right by both HCWs and patients. Assuring patients' rights practices among HCWs in a health care setting can improve the quality of life for both HCWs and patients. It will also improve the quality of health care services itself, which in turn will increase patients' satisfaction. We, therefore, need to respect and practice the Declaration of Patients' Rights in Thailand, by providing appropriate services to the patients.