Patients' perceptions of safety if interpersonal continuity of care were to be disrupted. Health Expect 2008 Dec;11(4):400-8
Date
12/17/2008Pubmed ID
19076668Pubmed Central ID
PMC2689380DOI
10.1111/j.1369-7625.2008.00503.xScopus ID
2-s2.0-56849112986 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 19 CitationsAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine if patients vary in perceptions of safety if interpersonal continuity were to be disrupted. If so, which characteristics are associated with feeling unsafe?
BACKGROUND: The extent to which patients' preference for continuity with a personal physician is due to perceptions of safety is unclear.
DESIGN: Observational study (Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduate and Sibling Survey).
SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 6827 respondents (most aged 63-66 years) who completed the 2003-06 survey round.
MAIN VARIABLES STUDIED: Age, gender, marital status, education, health insurance type, illnesses, medications, length of relationship with provider and place, personality type, decision-making preference and trust in physician deliberation.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Safety perception when visiting another doctor or clinic if own doctor were not available.
RESULTS: Twelve percent of respondents felt unsafe. After adjustment, as compared to those who felt safe, those who felt unsafe were more likely to be women (Odds ratio=1.65, 95% confidence interval=1.35-2.01), have more chronic conditions (1.27, 1.08-1.50) and have a longer relationship with a usual provider: 5-9 years (1.53, 1.11-2.10) 10-14 years (1.41, 1.02-1.95) and 15 or more years (1.62, 1.20-2.17) compared to 0-4 years. Those who preferred active participation in decision making and had trust in their physician were less likely to feel safe (1.63, 1.10-2.41).
CONCLUSIONS: Certain older adults perceive being unsafe if not seeing their usual physician. Further research should investigate reasons for perceptions of safety if continuity were disrupted and any implications for care.
Author List
Pandhi N, Schumacher J, Flynn KE, Smith MAuthor
Kathryn Eve Flynn PhD Vice Chair, Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAge Factors
Aged
Continuity of Patient Care
Decision Making
Female
Health Care Surveys
Health Services Accessibility
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Patient Participation
Physician-Patient Relations
Quality Indicators, Health Care
Safety
Sex Factors
Socioeconomic Factors
Trust
Wisconsin
