Socio-demographic correlates of public awareness of patient rights and responsibilities in the Sagnarigu Municipality, Ghana

ABSTRACT

Public awareness of patient rights and responsibilities is essential for health promotion. However, there is limited evidence on public awareness of such rights and responsibilities. We assessed the socio-demographic correlates of public awareness of the patient rights and responsibilities enshrined in the Ghana Patient Charter. We employed a cross-sectional design and administered a household survey to 400 adult residents of the Sagnarigu Municipality of Ghana. Respondents were selected through multi-stage sampling. The questionnaire elicited yes or no responses to questions on respondents’ recognition of specific patient rights and responsibilities. We ran binary logistic regression models to determine the socio-demographic correlates of awareness of patient rights and responsibilities. The results revealed the mean score of overall awareness as 50.05% ± 37.20% for patient rights and 62.55% ± 40.21% for patient responsibilities. The public showed low awareness of those rights and responsibilities concerning information flow within the health system. Peri-urban residential status, tertiary education, lower health status (self-rated) and health insurance membership were significantly (Adjusted Odd Ratio (AOR)>1, p < 0.05) associated with higher likelihood of awareness of patients’ rights and responsibilities. Higher age and Islamic religion were significantly (AOR<1; p < 0.05) associated with lower likelihood of awareness of patient rights and responsibilities, respectively. We conclude that low health consciousness and inadequate access to health information contributed to the low awareness of patient rights and responsibilities. To promote awareness of patient rights and responsibilities, advocacy and public education using the mass media and community engagement should be intensified especially within rural and Muslim-dominated communities.

KEYWORDS:

• Patient rights
• patient responsibilities
• patient charter
• public awareness
• Ghana

Disclosure of interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Notes

1. The respondents rated their health status based on a five-point scale of excellent, very good, good, fair and poor. This five-point scale was converted into a three-point scale for the analysis.