engleski

Is there a need to improve the informed consent procedures in Croatia - a pilot field survey on a representative sample, a food for thought?

Background: The informed consent, if obtained properly, can bring additional value to the physician-patient relationship and in many cases to the patients' safety. The previous research studies done in Croatia show the formality of the process of informed consent which often lacks quality and substance, as well as the poor knowledge of patients' rights. Therefore, the authors sought to elucidate the main issues related to the experience and assess the knowledge of general patient population about informed consent after several years of application of the Act on Protection of Patients' Rights. Methods: A short survey was conducted using an independently created questionnaire on a nationally representative sample of 1023 adult subjects divided into two groups: those who had been or not in a hospital for treatment in the past five years. Results: 60% of respondents had only partial knowledge of patients' rights. The level of knowledge about the informed consent was average but not in depth. 25% of respondents stated that they have received complete information during the informed consent procedure, and graded the level of the received information as high in nine percent of the cases. 15% of respondents could not remember whether they have signed or not an informed consent form. Conclusion: Based on the results obtained in our research there is need for improvement of the informed consent procedures and for further research in the issues surrounding the practices of informed consent in Croatia especially in the areas of quality and comprehension of the information, as well as the physician-patient decision-making process and education of physicians and general public.

Croatia ; Informed consent ; Patients' rights

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