Antonio T Fernando1, Nathan S Consedine2. 1. University of Auckland, Grafton Auckland, New Zealand. Electronic address: a.fernando@auckland.ac.nz. 2. University of Auckland, Grafton Auckland, New Zealand.
Abstract
CONTEXT: Compassion is an expectation of patients, regulatory bodies, and physicians themselves. Most research has, however, studied compassion fatigue rather than compassion itself and has concentrated on the role of the physician. The Transactional Model of Physician Compassion suggests that physician, patient, external environment, and clinical factors are all relevant. Because these factors vary both across different specialities and among physicians with differing degrees of experience, barriers to compassion are also likely to vary. OBJECTIVES: We describe barriers to physician compassion as a function of specialization (psychiatry, general practice, surgery, internal medicine, and pediatrics) and physician experience. METHODS: We used a cross-sectional study using demographic data, specialization, practice parameters, and the Barriers to Physician Compassion Questionnaire. Nonrandom convenience sampling was used to recruit 580 doctors, of whom 444 belonged to the targeted speciality groups. The sample was characterized before conducting a factorial Multivariate Analysis of Covariance and further post hoc analyses. RESULTS: A 5 (speciality grouping) × 2 (more vs. less physician experience) Multivariate Analysis of Covariance showed that the barriers varied as a function of both speciality and experience. In general, psychiatrists reported lower barriers, whereas general practitioners and internal medicine specialists generally reported greater barriers. Barriers were generally greater among less experienced doctors. CONCLUSION: Documenting and investigating barriers to compassion in different speciality groups have the potential to broaden current foci beyond the physician and inform interventions aimed at enhancing medical compassion. In addition, certain aspects of the training or practice of psychiatry that enhance compassion may mitigate barriers to compassion in other specialities.
CONTEXT: Compassion is an expectation of patients, regulatory bodies, and physicians themselves. Most research has, however, studied compassion fatigue rather than compassion itself and has concentrated on the role of the physician. The Transactional Model of Physician Compassion suggests that physician, patient, external environment, and clinical factors are all relevant. Because these factors vary both across different specialities and among physicians with differing degrees of experience, barriers to compassion are also likely to vary. OBJECTIVES: We describe barriers to physician compassion as a function of specialization (psychiatry, general practice, surgery, internal medicine, and pediatrics) and physician experience. METHODS: We used a cross-sectional study using demographic data, specialization, practice parameters, and the Barriers to Physician Compassion Questionnaire. Nonrandom convenience sampling was used to recruit 580 doctors, of whom 444 belonged to the targeted speciality groups. The sample was characterized before conducting a factorial Multivariate Analysis of Covariance and further post hoc analyses. RESULTS: A 5 (speciality grouping) × 2 (more vs. less physician experience) Multivariate Analysis of Covariance showed that the barriers varied as a function of both speciality and experience. In general, psychiatrists reported lower barriers, whereas general practitioners and internal medicine specialists generally reported greater barriers. Barriers were generally greater among less experienced doctors. CONCLUSION: Documenting and investigating barriers to compassion in different speciality groups have the potential to broaden current foci beyond the physician and inform interventions aimed at enhancing medical compassion. In addition, certain aspects of the training or practice of psychiatry that enhance compassion may mitigate barriers to compassion in other specialities.
Authors: Clair X Y Wang; Alina Pavlova; Antonio T Fernando; Nathan S Consedine Journal: Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract Date: 2022-04-07 Impact factor: 3.629
Authors: Shane Sinclair; Thomas F Hack; Shelley Raffin-Bouchal; Susan McClement; Kelli Stajduhar; Pavneet Singh; Neil A Hagen; Aynharan Sinnarajah; Harvey Max Chochinov Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2018-03-14 Impact factor: 2.692