Development and validation of the scale of perception of respect for and maintenance of the dignity of the inpatient [CuPDPH

Abstract

Summary Background Dignity is a fundamental concept that is affected and altered in the course of hospitalization by professional's behaviour. Despite the importance of respect and the maintenance of dignity, there are few instruments to evaluate the perception of a dignified attention. Our objective is to develop and determine the psychometric properties of a questionnaire for evaluating the perception of respect for and preservation of the dignity of the hospitalized patient. Methods From the review of the literature of patients’ contributions, a theoretical definition of the concept was generated, which served as the basis for the construction of a self-administered questionnaire. The preliminary items were submitted for expert opinion. Subsequently, their comprehensibility, feasibility and execution time were verified by conducting a pilot study. The definitive questionnaire was administered to a sample of patients hospitalized in two units of a third-level hospital in Barcelona. Results The final sample consisted of 289 patients. The analysis of internal consistency through the Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.76. In the factorial analysis of the main components of the oblique rotation , six factors named “privacy”, “identity”, “integrity”, “information”, “respect” and “consideration” emerged; together, they explain a total variance of 61.06%. The assignment of the statements to each of the factors was consistent with the initial definition. Conclusions The proposed theoretical model considers the perception of dignity as the sum and interrelation of diverse factors based on personal and professional values that must precede and accompany any care activity. The constructed questionnaire demonstrated acceptable indices of validity and reliability in all its facets.