Patients’ understanding of blood tests and attitudes to HIV screening in the emergency department of a Swiss teaching hospital: a cross-sectional observational study
BACKGROUND: In Switzerland, patients may undergo “blood tests” without being informed what these are screening for. Inadequate doctor-patient communication may result in patient misunderstanding. We examined what patients in the emergency department (ED) believed they had been screened for and exp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW)
2015-11-01
|
| Series: | Swiss Medical Weekly |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/2114 |
| _version_ | 1826997318359973888 |
|---|---|
| author | Timothée Favre-Bulle Dimitri Baudat Katharine Darling Rachel Mamin Solange Peters Matthias Cavassini Olivier Hugli |
| author_facet | Timothée Favre-Bulle Dimitri Baudat Katharine Darling Rachel Mamin Solange Peters Matthias Cavassini Olivier Hugli |
| author_sort | Timothée Favre-Bulle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
BACKGROUND: In Switzerland, patients may undergo “blood tests” without being informed what these are screening for. Inadequate doctor-patient communication may result in patient misunderstanding. We examined what patients in the emergency department (ED) believed they had been screened for and explored their attitudes to routine (non-targeted) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening.
METHODS: Between 1st October 2012 and 28th February 2013, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted among patients aged 16–70 years old presenting to the ED of Lausanne University Hospital. Patients were asked: (1) if they believed they had been screened for HIV; (2) if they agreed in principle to routine HIV screening and (3) if they agreed to be HIV tested during their current ED visit.
RESULTS: Of 466 eligible patients, 411 (88%) agreed to participate. Mean age was 46 ± 16 years; 192 patients (47%) were women; 366 (89%) were Swiss or European; 113 (27%) believed they had been screened for HIV, the proportion increasing with age (p ≤0.01), 297 (72%) agreed in principle with routine HIV testing in the ED, and 138 patients (34%) agreed to be HIV tested during their current ED visit.
CONCLUSION: In this ED population, 27% believed incorrectly they had been screened for HIV. Over 70% agreed in principle with routine HIV testing and 34% agreed to be tested during their current visit. These results demonstrate willingness among patients concerning routine HIV testing in the ED and highlight a need for improved doctor-patient communication about what a blood test specifically screens for.
|
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T00:21:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7074364f3aa0487693736499f94d1c85 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-3997 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-02-18T09:58:10Z |
| publishDate | 2015-11-01 |
| publisher | SMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Swiss Medical Weekly |
| spelling | doaj.art-7074364f3aa0487693736499f94d1c852024-11-02T08:54:43ZengSMW supporting association (Trägerverein Swiss Medical Weekly SMW)Swiss Medical Weekly1424-39972015-11-01145495010.4414/smw.2015.14206Patients’ understanding of blood tests and attitudes to HIV screening in the emergency department of a Swiss teaching hospital: a cross-sectional observational studyTimothée Favre-BulleDimitri BaudatKatharine DarlingRachel MaminSolange PetersMatthias CavassiniOlivier Hugli BACKGROUND: In Switzerland, patients may undergo “blood tests” without being informed what these are screening for. Inadequate doctor-patient communication may result in patient misunderstanding. We examined what patients in the emergency department (ED) believed they had been screened for and explored their attitudes to routine (non-targeted) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening. METHODS: Between 1st October 2012 and 28th February 2013, a questionnaire-based survey was conducted among patients aged 16–70 years old presenting to the ED of Lausanne University Hospital. Patients were asked: (1) if they believed they had been screened for HIV; (2) if they agreed in principle to routine HIV screening and (3) if they agreed to be HIV tested during their current ED visit. RESULTS: Of 466 eligible patients, 411 (88%) agreed to participate. Mean age was 46 ± 16 years; 192 patients (47%) were women; 366 (89%) were Swiss or European; 113 (27%) believed they had been screened for HIV, the proportion increasing with age (p ≤0.01), 297 (72%) agreed in principle with routine HIV testing in the ED, and 138 patients (34%) agreed to be HIV tested during their current ED visit. CONCLUSION: In this ED population, 27% believed incorrectly they had been screened for HIV. Over 70% agreed in principle with routine HIV testing and 34% agreed to be tested during their current visit. These results demonstrate willingness among patients concerning routine HIV testing in the ED and highlight a need for improved doctor-patient communication about what a blood test specifically screens for. https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/2114emergency departmentHIV screeningpatient understandingopt-outphysician-initiated counselling and testing (PICT) |
| spellingShingle | Timothée Favre-Bulle Dimitri Baudat Katharine Darling Rachel Mamin Solange Peters Matthias Cavassini Olivier Hugli Patients’ understanding of blood tests and attitudes to HIV screening in the emergency department of a Swiss teaching hospital: a cross-sectional observational study Swiss Medical Weekly emergency department HIV screening patient understanding opt-out physician-initiated counselling and testing (PICT) |
| title | Patients’ understanding of blood tests and attitudes to HIV screening in the emergency department of a Swiss teaching hospital: a cross-sectional observational study |
| title_full | Patients’ understanding of blood tests and attitudes to HIV screening in the emergency department of a Swiss teaching hospital: a cross-sectional observational study |
| title_fullStr | Patients’ understanding of blood tests and attitudes to HIV screening in the emergency department of a Swiss teaching hospital: a cross-sectional observational study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patients’ understanding of blood tests and attitudes to HIV screening in the emergency department of a Swiss teaching hospital: a cross-sectional observational study |
| title_short | Patients’ understanding of blood tests and attitudes to HIV screening in the emergency department of a Swiss teaching hospital: a cross-sectional observational study |
| title_sort | patients understanding of blood tests and attitudes to hiv screening in the emergency department of a swiss teaching hospital a cross sectional observational study |
| topic | emergency department HIV screening patient understanding opt-out physician-initiated counselling and testing (PICT) |
| url | https://www.smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/2114 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT timotheefavrebulle patientsunderstandingofbloodtestsandattitudestohivscreeningintheemergencydepartmentofaswissteachinghospitalacrosssectionalobservationalstudy AT dimitribaudat patientsunderstandingofbloodtestsandattitudestohivscreeningintheemergencydepartmentofaswissteachinghospitalacrosssectionalobservationalstudy AT katharinedarling patientsunderstandingofbloodtestsandattitudestohivscreeningintheemergencydepartmentofaswissteachinghospitalacrosssectionalobservationalstudy AT rachelmamin patientsunderstandingofbloodtestsandattitudestohivscreeningintheemergencydepartmentofaswissteachinghospitalacrosssectionalobservationalstudy AT solangepeters patientsunderstandingofbloodtestsandattitudestohivscreeningintheemergencydepartmentofaswissteachinghospitalacrosssectionalobservationalstudy AT matthiascavassini patientsunderstandingofbloodtestsandattitudestohivscreeningintheemergencydepartmentofaswissteachinghospitalacrosssectionalobservationalstudy AT olivierhugli patientsunderstandingofbloodtestsandattitudestohivscreeningintheemergencydepartmentofaswissteachinghospitalacrosssectionalobservationalstudy |