Evaluation of Medical Students’ Orientations in the Patient-Physician Relationship and Empathy Levels

Year 2024, Volume: 46 Issue: 2, 199 - 208, 18.03.2024

Ahmet Ay Alaettin Ünsal Ali Kılınç Tuğçe Arslan Torba Didem Arslantaş Kazım Tırpan

https://doi.org/10.20515/otd.1401418

Abstract

Today, a patient-centered approach that takes into account the psychosocial dimensions of health and promotes patient parrticipation and partnership in the patient relationship is becoming increasingly important. It is aimed to determine the orientations in the patient-physician relationship and some variables thought to be related to it, and to assess the level of empathy among medical students. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1169 medical students at the Faculty of Medicine at Eskişehir Osmangazi University (ESOGU) between May-June 2022. In the study, the Patient-Physician Orientation Scale (PPOS) was used to measure the students’ orientations in the patient-physician relationship and the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) was used to measurement empathy levels. Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Spearman correlation and Multiple Linear Regression analyses were used. Of the participants, 606 (51.8%) were male and 679 (58.1%) were in their preclinical years. Their ages ranged between 18-52 years with a mean of 21.48±1.96 years. The participants' scores on the PPOS ranged between 1.36-5.36 with a mean score of 3.68±0.54 points, while the scores on the JPES ranged between 44-135 with a mean score of 96.5±14.18 points. It was found that there was a weak positive correlation between the scores obtained from the PPOS and the scores obtained from the JPES (r=0.297, p<0.001). As a result of multiple linear regression analysis, it was found that having a Type B personality, participating in any training/activity related to the patient-physician relationship and an increased level of empathy were associated with scores obtained from PPOS (F=17.784, p<0.001). Although medical students' orientations in the patient-physician relationship was found to be closer to patient-centeredness, it was not at the expected level.

Keywords

Medical student, Patient-physician relationship, Patient-centered, empathy

Ethical Statement

The study was approved by Eskişehir Osmangazi University Non-interventional Ethical Committee (Approval Date/ Number: 24.05.2022/ E-25403353-050.99-338104)

Supporting Institution

The authors declared that this study received no financial support.

Thanks

The authors express their gratitude to the medical students who participated in the study by filling out the questionnaire.

Tıp Fakültesi Öğrencilerinin Hasta-Hekim ilişkisi Yönelimleri ve Empati Düzeylerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Çağımızda hasta-hekim ilişkisinde sağlığın psikososyal boyutlarının dikkate alındığı, hastanın katılımını ve ortaklığını teşvik eden hasta merkezli yaklaşım giderek önem kazanmaktadır. Bu araştırmada, tıp fakültesi öğrencileri arasında hasta-hekim ilişkisi yönelimlerinin, ilişkili olduğu düşünülen bazı değişkenlerin incelenmesi ve empati düzeylerinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu kesitsel çalışma, Mayıs-Haziran 2022 tarihleri arasında Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi (ESOGÜ) Tıp Fakültesi’nde öğrenim görmekte olan 1169 öğrenci üzerinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Çalışmada, Hasta-hekim ilişkisi yönelimlerini belirlemek için Hasta-Hekim Yönelim Ölçeği (HHYÖ) ve empati düzeyleri belirlemek için Jefferson Doktor Empati Ölçeği’nden (JDEÖ) kullanılmıştır. İstatistiksel değerlendirmede, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis testleri, Spearman korelasyon ve Çoklu Lineer Regresyon analizleri kullanılmıştır. Katılımcıların 606’sı (%51.8) erkek, 679’u (%58.1) ise klinik öncesi sınıflarda öğrenim görmekte idi. Yaşları 18-52 arasında değişmekte olup yaş ortalaması 21.48±1.96 yıl idi. Çalışma grubunun HHYÖ’den aldıkları puanlar 1.36-5.36 arasında değişmekte olup ortalaması 3.68±0.54 iken JDEÖ ölçeğinden aldıkları puanlar 44-135 arasında değişmekte olup ortalaması 96.5±14.18 idi. HHYÖ’den elde edilen puanlar ile JDEÖ’den elde edilen puanlar arasında pozitif yönde zayıf bir korelasyon olduğu bulundu (r=0.297, p<0.001). Çoklu Lineer Regresyon analizi sonucunda B tipi kişiliğe sahip olma, hasta-hekim ilişkisi yönelimleri hakkında herhangi bir eğitim veya etkinliğe katılma ve artan empati düzeyleri ile HHYÖ’den alınan puanlar arasında ilişki olduğu saptandı (F=17.784, p<0.001). Tıp fakültesi öğrencilerinin hasta-hekim ilişkisi yönelimlerinin hasta merkezliliğe daha yakın olduğu tespit edilse de beklenen düzeyde olmadığı saptanmıştır.

Keywords

Tıp öğrencisi, Doktor hasta ilişkisi, Hasta merkezli, Empati

Ethical Statement

The study was approved by Eskişehir Osmangazi University Non-interventional Ethical Committee (Approval Date/ Number: 24.05.2022/ E-25403353-050.99-338104)

Supporting Institution

The authors declared that this study received no financial support.

Thanks

The authors express their gratitude to the medical students who participated in the study by filling out the questionnaire.

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