Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Associate Professor of Healthcare Services Management Department of Public Health, School of Health Abadan University of Medical Sciences
2
Student Research Committee, Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran.
3
Instructor of Community Health Nursing Department of Nursing, School of Nursing Abadan University of Medical Sciences
4
Associate Professor of Healthcare Services Management Department of Public Health, School of Health Abadan University of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran
10.30468/beyhagh.2026.1857
Abstract
Introduction: Respecting patient privacy is a fundamental pillar of professional ethics and healthcare quality, and its violation can reduce patient trust and satisfaction. However, a gap has been reported between expected standards and patients' actual experiences. This study aimed to examine the perspectives of patients and nurses regarding privacy observance in hospitals affiliated with Abadan University of Medical Sciences.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2025 on 165 nurses and 165 hospitalized patients in internal medicine, surgery, infectious diseases, and oncology wards. Proportional stratified sampling was used. Data were collected via a standard two-part questionnaire (demographic information and privacy items) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and correlation tests at a significance level of 0.05.
Results: The mean privacy score from nurses' perspective (72.39) was significantly higher than from patients' perspective (66.32) (p<0.05). From the patients' viewpoint, significant differences were observed among wards, with infectious diseases and oncology departments scoring the highest and internal medicine and surgery departments scoring the lowest (p<0.001). Demographic variables showed no significant correlation with privacy scores.
Conclusion: Nurses evaluated privacy observance more favorably than patients, revealing a significant perceptual gap between the two groups. Improving physical infrastructure, maintaining information confidentiality, continuous staff training, and regular monitoring—especially in internal medicine and surgical wards—are essential. Active patient participation in the feedback process can also help enhance the quality of care.
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