Patient participation in the emergency department: an evaluation using a specific instrument to measure patient participation (PPED)

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed at evaluating patient participation from the perspective of patients who received care in emergency departments, with a separate examination of the relationship between participation and age, gender, education and priority level.

Background: International and national guidelines encourage patient participation. High patient participation is required to ensure a high quality of care. No studies evaluating patient participation at an emergency department have been published.

Methods: An evaluating study, with the Patient Participation Emergency Department questionnaire, was conducted at emergency departments in Sweden. A consecutive sample of 356 patients participated. Data were collected in 2008: participants were 49% women and with an average age of 56 years. The statistical methods used were Student's t-test, one-way ANOVA and Spearman correlation.

Results: The results revealed that patients experienced good requirement for participation such as time and information. Mutual participation demonstrated a reasonable level, but patient participation is low in two dimensions (Fight for participation, Participation in getting basic needs satisfied). Young and well-educated patients fought more to participate in their care and gained less attention for basic needs than older and less well-educated patients.

Conclusions: Patient participation in a mutual care situation between patients and healthcare professionals requires further improvement to ensure that patients are satisfied and do not have to struggle and fight to participate in their care.