{"title":"Perceptions of Singaporeans towards informed consent: a cross-sectional survey.","authors":"Mehek Gupta, Sudharsan Madhavan, Felicia Siok Ying Teo, Jee Keem Low, Vishal G Shelat","doi":"10.11622/smedj.2021163","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In a patient-centric health system, it is essential to know patients' views about informed consent. The objective of this study was to understand the perceptions of the local population regarding informed consent.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Spanning 6 weeks from January 2016 to March 2016, a cross-sectional survey of adults attending the General Surgery outpatient clinics at Tan Tock Seng Hospital was conducted. Sociodemographic data, lifestyle- and health-related information, perception and purpose of consent forms, and decision-making preferences were studied.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 445 adults participated in the survey. Most participants were aged below 40 years ( n = 265, 60.1%), female ( n = 309, 70.1%) and degree holders ( n = 196, 44.4%). Also, 56.9% of participants wanted to know every possible risk, while 28.3% wanted to know the common and serious risks. On multivariate analysis, age (61-74 years: odds ratio [OR] 11.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2-56.1, P = 0.004; age >75 years: OR 22.2, 95% CI 1.8-279.1, P = 0.017) was a predictor of not wanting to know any risks. Age also predicted risk of disclosure for death (age 61-74 years: OR 13.4, 95% CI 4.2-42.6, P < 0.001; age >75 years: OR 32.0, 95% CI 4.5-228.0, P = 0.001). Most participants (48.1%) preferred making shared decisions with doctors, and an important predictor was employment status (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.9-12.2, P = 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Sociodemographic factors and educational level influence decision-making, and therefore, the informed consent process should be tailored for each patient.</p>","PeriodicalId":21752,"journal":{"name":"Singapore medical journal","volume":" ","pages":"91-98"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10942135/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Singapore medical journal","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.11622/smedj.2021163","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2021/10/31 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: In a patient-centric health system, it is essential to know patients' views about informed consent. The objective of this study was to understand the perceptions of the local population regarding informed consent.
Methods: Spanning 6 weeks from January 2016 to March 2016, a cross-sectional survey of adults attending the General Surgery outpatient clinics at Tan Tock Seng Hospital was conducted. Sociodemographic data, lifestyle- and health-related information, perception and purpose of consent forms, and decision-making preferences were studied.
Results: A total of 445 adults participated in the survey. Most participants were aged below 40 years ( n = 265, 60.1%), female ( n = 309, 70.1%) and degree holders ( n = 196, 44.4%). Also, 56.9% of participants wanted to know every possible risk, while 28.3% wanted to know the common and serious risks. On multivariate analysis, age (61-74 years: odds ratio [OR] 11.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2-56.1, P = 0.004; age >75 years: OR 22.2, 95% CI 1.8-279.1, P = 0.017) was a predictor of not wanting to know any risks. Age also predicted risk of disclosure for death (age 61-74 years: OR 13.4, 95% CI 4.2-42.6, P < 0.001; age >75 years: OR 32.0, 95% CI 4.5-228.0, P = 0.001). Most participants (48.1%) preferred making shared decisions with doctors, and an important predictor was employment status (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.9-12.2, P = 0.001).
Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors and educational level influence decision-making, and therefore, the informed consent process should be tailored for each patient.
期刊介绍:
The Singapore Medical Journal (SMJ) is the monthly publication of Singapore Medical Association (SMA). The Journal aims to advance medical practice and clinical research by publishing high-quality articles that add to the clinical knowledge of physicians in Singapore and worldwide.
SMJ is a general medical journal that focuses on all aspects of human health. The Journal publishes commissioned reviews, commentaries and editorials, original research, a small number of outstanding case reports, continuing medical education articles (ECG Series, Clinics in Diagnostic Imaging, Pictorial Essays, Practice Integration & Life-long Learning [PILL] Series), and short communications in the form of letters to the editor.