Knowledge on Patients’ Rights in Medical Interns: A Crucial Stage of Doctor’s Initiation

Abstract

Background: One of the most important aspects of providing healthcare is the respect for patients’ rights. It is therefore necessary that all medical staff, including clinical students, are aware and appropriately provide care according to patients’ rights. Objectives: This study was aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of the interns towards patients’ rights in order for provision of effective strategies to teach them. Methods: The Cross-sectional study was conducted by a descriptive analytical design among all interns of Shiraz Medical University during the academic year of 2012 and 2013 (120 interns) with the census method. The data were collected using a 3-part questionnaire containing 39 questions with demographic data and questions in the area of patients’ rights. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s Chi-square, and t-tests were applied to evaluate significant differences between variables. Results: The findings suggest that the mean score of the interns’ knowledge was “weak” in 15.5%, “intermediate” in 14.6%, and “Good” in 69.9%. In general, the average score of the interns’ awareness of patients’ rights was “intermediate” level (14.46 ± 4.58 out of 29). The highest score was in the area of the “right to confidentiality” and the least score was in the realm of the “individual freedom of the patient” (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Awareness and protecting the patient’s rights means the accountability of all health care providers. Given that the level of awareness of medical interns regarding patients’ rights is not at a desirable level, hence, the necessity of organizing medical educational programs including components on patients’ rights should be offered more seriously.