Abstract
Background
Person-centered care is one of the vital components of a health care system and signifies the concept of health promotion and disease prevention. This study aimed to identify the perceptions of patients and physicians regarding person-centered care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).
Methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted in six countries of EMR during June 2019 to August 2019. In first phase, 190 family physicians (FPs) practicing for atleast six months were recruited. In the next phase, the recruited FPs then approached their patients aged more than 18 years. Multinomial regression analysis was conducted using SPSS version 20.
Results
Of a total of 300 patients, 25% were aged 40 years or above and the majority 56% were females. Among physicians, 62.8% were between 25 to 35 years and 88% had a postgraduate training in Family Medicine. Thirty six percent of patients and 62.6% of physicians, preferred a person-centered care model of care. Among physicians, field of specialization (ORadj= 0.7; 95% C.I: 0.3-0.9) and regularity in continuing medical education sessions (ORadj= 0.3; 95% C.I: 0.1-0.5) while, among patients, educational status was significantly associated with preference for person-centered care model.
Conclusions
The transition towards person centered care model has already started and most care providers endorse it. However, there is a need to apply this approach consistently, keeping the cultural aspects in mind.
Key messages
There is a need for intensive research on the development of integrated primary care models to improve access to person-centered care.
Health Promotion , Disease Prevention and Periodic Health Checks : Perceptions and Practice among Family Physicians in Eastern Mediterranean Region
