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Volume 13, Issue 3 (12-2023)
cmja 2023, 13(3): 1-10 |
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ahmadi S, moradi R, norian najafabadi M, hoseini S. An analysis on the effect of dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship on the use of traditional medicine. cmja 2023; 13 (3) :1-10
URL: http://cmja.arakmu.ac.ir/article-1-936-en.html
URL: http://cmja.arakmu.ac.ir/article-1-936-en.html
1- Professor of Sociology, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran , sahmadi@yu.ac.ir
2- Sociology, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
2- Sociology, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
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INTRODUCTION
Traditional, complementary, or alternative medicine is a set of knowledge, skills, and methods based on indigenous theories, beliefs, and experiences that is applied in maintaining, preventing, diagnosing, improving, and treating physical and mental diseases [1]. In explaining why people tend to make use of the traditional medicine, numerous approaches have been proposed and many reasons have been presented, but an effective factor in this line is physician-patient relationship in conventional medicine. The physician-patient relationship is the transfer of meaning between two people, and since this meaning is related to human health, it is highly significant. From this point of view, traditional medicine is the opposite of conventional medicine, and it allows the doctor and the patient have more time and opportunity to interact about the disease and how to treat it. Therefore, this research assumes that the weakness of the doctor's communicative skills is one of the main causes of the failure of doctors in treating patients and giving them satisfaction and trust despite their professional knowledge and skills. Consequently, the main question of this research is whether there is a significant relationship between dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship in conventional medicine and the use of traditional medicine.
METHODS
This is quantitative research that has been carried out using a cross-sectional survey. The population is people aged 18-65 living in Ahvaz City in which 345 cases were determined as sample size using Cochran's (1977) formula and were selected by means of the multi-stage random sampling method. The research instrument to measure the use of traditional medicine was a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 11 questions, during which people were asked which of the following traditional methods they used for treatment. Content validity was employed to assess the validity and the reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. On the other hand, the research tool for measuring the physician-patient relationship was a researcher-made questionnaire as well including 11 items and two emotional and behavioral dimensions. In order to determine the validity and the reliability, the construct validity using factor analysis and the internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha were employed respectively. SPSS software (version 25) was utilized to analyze the data extracted from the questionnaires. Descriptive statistics including percent, mean, and standard deviation were used to explain variables such as gender, age, level of education, marital status and etc. Furthermore, inferential statistics including correlation matrix and linear regression analysis were employed to test the relationship between the two variables of the physician-patient relationship and the tendency to use traditional medicine.
RESULTS
In general, 345 people responded to the questionnaires their descriptive information is as follows. 174 (50.4%) women, 171 (49.6%) men. In terms of ethnicity, 111 (32.2%) are Lor, 117 (33.9%) are Arab, and 76 (33.9%) are Fars, Turk, and so on. In terms of marital status, 40.3% were single, and 50.7% were married. Regarding education, 15.4% less diploma, 39.7% diploma or associate, and 44.6% academic degrees. In connection with the family income, the majority of the respondents (51.9%), were between 1 and 3 million. Concerning the physician-patient relationship, in the behavioral dimension, the highest negative score was assigned to the question related to the doctor's reception of the patient's comments (43.5%), and the highest positive score was to the item of listening carefully to the patients (39.4%). In the emotional dimension, the highest negative score was assigned to the item of frowning (53.9%), and the highest positive score was assigned to the item of being fearful (77.7%). In the analytical part, the results of the regression analysis show that the use of traditional medicine increases significantly with the increase in dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship (P= 0.000, 4.2= T= 2.27). Based on the results, the independent variable of dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship is able to explain 5% of the changes in the dependent variable of using traditional medicine. In order to control the effect of demographic variables, they have been entered into the model along with the physician-patient relationship variable, and the results are as follows. The correlation coefficient of the physician-patient relationship and demographic variables with the use of traditional medicine is 27% and it means that the independent variables are able to explain 7% of the variance of the dependent variable. Based on the results, physician-patient relationship (P=0.000, T=3.91, Beta=0.214), age (P=0.025, T=-2.244, Beta=0.149), marital status (P=0.032, T=2.152, Beta=0.147) have a significant relationship with the use of traditional medicine. It should be pointed out that the relationship between age and the use of traditional medicine is significantly negative and with the change of marital status from single to married, the use of traditional medicines goes up.
DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION
The results of the research are consistent with the results of Guillaud et al (2020), indicating that the use of traditional and complementary medicine is significantly related to dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship [2], the results of Tangkiatkumjai et al (2020) showing that dissatisfaction with conventional medicine, positive attitude towards complementary medicine, the expectation of the benefits of complementary medicine, and its availability encourage people to use traditional medicine [9], the results of Kelak et al. (2018) revealing that people who face obstacles in the use of conventional medicine or are dissatisfied with the quality of that are more inclined to use traditional medicine [22]. In explaining the significant relationship between dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship and the use of traditional medicine, it can be pointed out that the inability of the medical staff, especially the doctors, to establish an effective relationship with the patients brings about the patients to be dissatisfied with the treatment process and turn to use alternative treatment methods. Considering the positive and significant relationship between dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship and the use of traditional medicine, it is suggested that teaching communication skills to patients in the form of academic courses at medical universities in the country should be considered. It goes without saying that, it allows doctors to have the necessary training for a useful and healthy relationship with patients in order to achieve complete treatment.
Traditional, complementary, or alternative medicine is a set of knowledge, skills, and methods based on indigenous theories, beliefs, and experiences that is applied in maintaining, preventing, diagnosing, improving, and treating physical and mental diseases [1]. In explaining why people tend to make use of the traditional medicine, numerous approaches have been proposed and many reasons have been presented, but an effective factor in this line is physician-patient relationship in conventional medicine. The physician-patient relationship is the transfer of meaning between two people, and since this meaning is related to human health, it is highly significant. From this point of view, traditional medicine is the opposite of conventional medicine, and it allows the doctor and the patient have more time and opportunity to interact about the disease and how to treat it. Therefore, this research assumes that the weakness of the doctor's communicative skills is one of the main causes of the failure of doctors in treating patients and giving them satisfaction and trust despite their professional knowledge and skills. Consequently, the main question of this research is whether there is a significant relationship between dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship in conventional medicine and the use of traditional medicine.
METHODS
This is quantitative research that has been carried out using a cross-sectional survey. The population is people aged 18-65 living in Ahvaz City in which 345 cases were determined as sample size using Cochran's (1977) formula and were selected by means of the multi-stage random sampling method. The research instrument to measure the use of traditional medicine was a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of 11 questions, during which people were asked which of the following traditional methods they used for treatment. Content validity was employed to assess the validity and the reliability was measured using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. On the other hand, the research tool for measuring the physician-patient relationship was a researcher-made questionnaire as well including 11 items and two emotional and behavioral dimensions. In order to determine the validity and the reliability, the construct validity using factor analysis and the internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha were employed respectively. SPSS software (version 25) was utilized to analyze the data extracted from the questionnaires. Descriptive statistics including percent, mean, and standard deviation were used to explain variables such as gender, age, level of education, marital status and etc. Furthermore, inferential statistics including correlation matrix and linear regression analysis were employed to test the relationship between the two variables of the physician-patient relationship and the tendency to use traditional medicine.
RESULTS
In general, 345 people responded to the questionnaires their descriptive information is as follows. 174 (50.4%) women, 171 (49.6%) men. In terms of ethnicity, 111 (32.2%) are Lor, 117 (33.9%) are Arab, and 76 (33.9%) are Fars, Turk, and so on. In terms of marital status, 40.3% were single, and 50.7% were married. Regarding education, 15.4% less diploma, 39.7% diploma or associate, and 44.6% academic degrees. In connection with the family income, the majority of the respondents (51.9%), were between 1 and 3 million. Concerning the physician-patient relationship, in the behavioral dimension, the highest negative score was assigned to the question related to the doctor's reception of the patient's comments (43.5%), and the highest positive score was to the item of listening carefully to the patients (39.4%). In the emotional dimension, the highest negative score was assigned to the item of frowning (53.9%), and the highest positive score was assigned to the item of being fearful (77.7%). In the analytical part, the results of the regression analysis show that the use of traditional medicine increases significantly with the increase in dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship (P= 0.000, 4.2= T= 2.27). Based on the results, the independent variable of dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship is able to explain 5% of the changes in the dependent variable of using traditional medicine. In order to control the effect of demographic variables, they have been entered into the model along with the physician-patient relationship variable, and the results are as follows. The correlation coefficient of the physician-patient relationship and demographic variables with the use of traditional medicine is 27% and it means that the independent variables are able to explain 7% of the variance of the dependent variable. Based on the results, physician-patient relationship (P=0.000, T=3.91, Beta=0.214), age (P=0.025, T=-2.244, Beta=0.149), marital status (P=0.032, T=2.152, Beta=0.147) have a significant relationship with the use of traditional medicine. It should be pointed out that the relationship between age and the use of traditional medicine is significantly negative and with the change of marital status from single to married, the use of traditional medicines goes up.
DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION
The results of the research are consistent with the results of Guillaud et al (2020), indicating that the use of traditional and complementary medicine is significantly related to dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship [2], the results of Tangkiatkumjai et al (2020) showing that dissatisfaction with conventional medicine, positive attitude towards complementary medicine, the expectation of the benefits of complementary medicine, and its availability encourage people to use traditional medicine [9], the results of Kelak et al. (2018) revealing that people who face obstacles in the use of conventional medicine or are dissatisfied with the quality of that are more inclined to use traditional medicine [22]. In explaining the significant relationship between dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship and the use of traditional medicine, it can be pointed out that the inability of the medical staff, especially the doctors, to establish an effective relationship with the patients brings about the patients to be dissatisfied with the treatment process and turn to use alternative treatment methods. Considering the positive and significant relationship between dissatisfaction with the physician-patient relationship and the use of traditional medicine, it is suggested that teaching communication skills to patients in the form of academic courses at medical universities in the country should be considered. It goes without saying that, it allows doctors to have the necessary training for a useful and healthy relationship with patients in order to achieve complete treatment.
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Traditional medicine
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