Health professionals' knowledge and attitude towards patient confidentiality and associated factors.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate health professionals' attitudes, knowledge, and related variables regarding patient confidentiality. Study Design: Institution Based Cross-sectional study. Setting: Gomal Medical College Affiliated Hospitals. Period: June-September 2024. Methods: Using the stratified random sampling approach, 213 people made up the sample. Bi-variate and multi-variate binary logistic regression analyses were done. Odds ratio, with 95% confidence level and P value were calculated. Results: Among 213 participants, 71.4% had good knowledge of confidentiality. Most of doctors 175(82.2%) said that the patients’ confidentiality should be maintained and governed by law. While 68.5% with satisfactory attitude towards patients’ confidentiality. Doctors working at positions of AP and above (AOR = 6.83 CI= [0.784-59.53]) have good knowledge about patient confidentiality. For factors associated with doctors’ attitude towards patient confidentiality, AP and above post level with (AOR=12.29, CI = [1.335-113.3]) have satisfactory attitude towards patients’ confidentiality and was highly significant. Those having satisfactory knowledge with (AOR=0.275, CI= [0.141-0.538]) were highly significant for attitude. Conclusion: this study revealed that 71.4% participant had satisfactory knowledge and 68.5% had satisfactory attitude towards patient confidentiality and those having satisfactory knowledge of confidentiality had satisfactory attitudes.