Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Διεθνής Ιατρική - Διαχείριση Κρίσεων ΥγείαςLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Supervisors info:
Κοντός Μιχαήλ, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Γκρινιάτσος Ιωάννης, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Γεωργόπουλος Ευστράτιος, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Δικαιώματα και ανάγκες ασθενών ευάλωτων κοινωνικά ομάδων: γνώσεις και οπτική των ιατρών που εργάζονται στα Τμήματα Επειγόντων Περιστατικών οκτώ νοσοκομείων της Αττικής
Translated title:
Rights and needs of vulnerable patients: knowledge and perceptions of physicians working in Emergency Departments of eight hospitals in Attica-Greece
Summary:
Introduction: There is a raising number of evidence based cases that healthcare of vulnerable groups depends not only in treating their biomedical needs but also on their socio-economic impact, which is the source of their vulnerability. Physician who can recognize such individuals can play a dominant role in it and he can assist by referring them appropriately. Objective: Evaluate the depth of physicians’ knowledge about the rights and needs of vulnerable social groups and assess their cooperation with the social services. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, questionnaire-based, in the Emergency Departments of eight public hospitals in Attica to a representative sample of physicians (Internal medicine doctors-Surgeons-Gynecologists-Pediatric/Pediatric Surgeons) and we interviewed the social workers of the hospitals respectively within 2017. Analysis was calculated using statistical software SPSS version 21. Results: 77.5% of physicians are unaware of vulnerable groups’ legal rights. Medical trainee registrar ≥3 years are almost 60% less likely to have been informed in the legal social rights of vulnerable groups compared to the medical trainee registrar <3 years and Consultant/Head of Department are almost 25% less likely to be informed compared to medical trainee registrar <3 years. Physicians consider it useful collaborating with a social worker 24 hours per day (48.9%) or on call (43%), common view in four out of eight (50%) of social services. 79.4% of physicians perceive the usefulness of systematic training in the rights and needs of vulnerable groups, which is recognized by all social services as well. Physicians who positively considered that it’s their duty to know these rights are 51.6% while 47% responded negatively. Discussion: The majority of physicians reported ignorance of vulnerable groups’ rights and seek to improve their cooperation with the social services. The interventions should be focused on undergraduate education level of physicians and continuous education as well as on interdisciplinary collaboration in hospitals in order to avoid social isolation of people within vulnerable groups.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Vulnerable groups, Physicians’ knowledge, Social services, Rights of vulnerable groups.
