Structural Equation Modeling of the Correlation Between Social Capital and the Professional Ethics of the Specialists of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Abstract

Background: Although ethics is essential to every occupation, it is even more crucial in the professions of the healthcare sector as the spiritual and responsible behavior of these employees toward patients plays a pivotal role in improving and restoring their health. Social capital is a significant determinant of the level of professional ethics. The organizations that respect social norms and principles could create a platform of trust and mutual communication between individuals to contribute to professional ethics promotion. Objectives: The present study aimed to model the structural equation of the correlation between social capital and the professional ethics of the specialists of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Methods: This study was conducted in all the hospitals in Shiraz, Iran (n = 33) in 2019. Cluster sampling was applied to select 10% of the hospitals as the research population, and several general practitioners and specialists (n = 200) completed the questionnaires for data collection. In addition, data on social capital were collected using the social capital questionnaire (2012), and the field data regarding the professional ethics of the physicians and medical specialists were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. Results: The mean scores of the social capital and professional ethics of the participants were higher than cut-off points. In addition, the final model of the study indicated that the professional ethics of the practitioners could be predicted by their perceptions of social capital. Conclusions: Social capital is an important criterion of the survival of every system and organization, including medical organizations. Given the importance of social capital in the growth, success, and sustainability of social systems, administrators and health officials must develop basic infrastructure and an atmosphere of trust, security, and loyalty through the improvement of ethics among medical staff, especially among physicians and medical specialists.