Patients' Views on Informed Consent and Privacy in Lahore Hospitals
Author Information
Author(s): Humayun Ayesha, Fatima Noor, Naqqash Shahid, Hussain Salwa, Rasheed Almas, Imtiaz Huma, Imam Sardar Zakariya
Primary Institution: Department of Community Health Sciences, FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan
Hypothesis
How well do doctors in Lahore adhere to informed consent, privacy, and confidentiality during outpatient consultations?
Conclusion
Doctors in Lahore inadequately observe medical ethics, highlighting the need for formal training and patient awareness.
Supporting Evidence
- Informed consent was obtained from only 9.7% of patients in the public hospital.
- Patients in the private hospital reported better adherence to privacy and confidentiality.
- There was a significant difference in the practice of informed consent between public and private hospitals.
Takeaway
Doctors in Lahore often don't ask patients for permission before treatment, and many patients don't know their rights.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study observing doctor-patient interactions in outpatient departments of one public and one private hospital.
Potential Biases
Doctors were unaware of which patient interactions were being graded, but patient perceptions may not align with actual practices.
Limitations
The study may not represent all hospitals in Lahore and relies on patient perceptions which can be subjective.
Participant Demographics
{"total_patients":186,"gender_distribution":{"female":138,"male":48},"age_mean":{"public_hospital":34.9,"private_hospital":37.6}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
< 0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
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