Evaluation of the Practice of Patient Centered Care among Saudi Dentists in Central Region of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study
Author(s): Reham AL Jasser*
Abstract
Introduction: The development of the healthcare industry has laid significant attention towards the provision of patient centered care for satisfactory treatment outcomes.
Aim: This study aims to assess the practice of patient-centered care among dentists in Saudi Arabia, while analyzing the influence of gender and years of experience on their ability to conduct proper patient-centered care among their patients.
Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted among dentists practicing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Questionnaires, consisting of Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS) and demographic details, were electronically mailed to 272 study participants for data collection. Independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance followed by the post-hoc test was undertaken.
Results: Findings indicated females as more patient-centered than males, with a total PPOS scores (3.11± 0.57 vs. 3.06± 0.50), p=0.037 and in the sharing subscale (3.24 ± 0.78) vs. (3.13 ± 0.59) t (270)=1.36, p=0.001. There were significant differences in both sharing subscale [F (4,267)=6.70, p=0.000] and the overall PPOS score [F (4, 267)=4.26, p=0.002] with regard to years of dental practice. Dentists with less than 1 year of dental practice had significantly less PPOS scores compared to the other three groups.
Discussion: The level of patient centered care in Riyadh was found to be low in comparison to other regions. Conclusion: Therefore, it is suggested to improve the practice of patient centered approach for successful outcomes and patient’s satisfaction.