Levels of empathy in undergraduate emergency health, nursing, and midwifery students: a longitudinal study

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic variables of 948 first-, second-, and third-year students of Monash University, 2008–2010

	Number	Percentage
Course enrolled in
Emergency health (paramedics)	349	36.9
Nursing	411	43.4
Midwifery	188	19.7
Total	948	100
Year of course
First year	253	26.7
Second year	405	42.8
Third year	288	30.4
Missing/not reported	2	0.2
Total	948	100
Student age group
<21 years	344	36.3
21–25 years	297	31.3
26–30 years	104	11.0
31–35 years	76	8.0
36–40 years	72	7.6
41–45 years	44	4.6
>45 years	11	1.2
Total	948	100
Sex
Female	798	84.2
Male	144	15.2
Missing/not reported	6	0.6
Total	948	100

Table 2 Group comparisons on mean empathy scores and SDs on the total scores on the Jefferson Scale of Empathy–Health Professional of 948 first-, second-, and third-year students of Monash University, 2008–2010

	Mean	SD*	Statistic (group difference)
By sex
Female (n=798)	106.2	14.8	P=0.635
Male (n=144)	100.6	14.4
By age
<21 years (n=344)	104.8	13.1	P=0.001
21–25 years (n=297)	103.8	17.5
26–30 years (n=104)	108.5	11.4
31–35 years (n=76)	108.2	14.8
36–40 years (n=72)	104.6	18.0
41–45 years (n=44)	100.3	17.7
>45 years (n=11)	117.5	8.2
By study year
2008 (n=276)	107.3	15.4	P<0.0001
2009 (n=396)	102.0	14.6
2010 (n=276)	107.3	15.4
By course type
Emergency health (n=349)	104.4	14.9	P<0.0001
Nursing (n=411)	104.0	14.4
Midwifery (n=188)	109.0	17.2
By year level
First year (n=253)	103.8	16.8	P=0.071
Second year (n=405)	106.5	13.3
Third year (n=288)	104.0	16.3

Note:

* Rounded to one decimal place.

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation; n, number.