Nazir Muhammad, Alhareky Muhanad, Alqahtani Abdulrahman, Alsulaimi Leenah, Alotaibi Reema, Yousef Najwa, Abushal Fatimah, Alhumaid Jehan
Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P. O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, UAE.
College of Dentistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P. O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, UAE.
Int J Dent. 2021 Apr 27;2021:5584423. doi: 10.1155/2021/5584423. eCollection 2021.
To evaluate empathy and its related factors among undergraduate dental students and interns enrolled in a public dental college in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
This cross-sectional study used the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Profession Students (JSE-HPS) version to determine empathy in 362 dental students and interns in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. The JSE-HPS is a 20-item 7-point Likert scale questionnaire, and its score ranges from 20 to 140 with high values indicating increased empathy. Influences of age, gender, class year, previous year's grade point average (GPA), educational attainment of parents, and monthly family income on empathy were evaluated.
Of 501 enrolled students and interns, 362 returned completed questionnaires, and the response rate of the study was 72%. The sample's empathy score (JSPE-HPS scale) ranged from 70 to 129 with a mean of 96.75 (±13.76). Most participants believed that empathy is important for effective communication with patients (96.1%) and can improve the provider-patient relationship (95.6%). Females demonstrated a significantly higher mean empathy score (99.98 ± 14.01) than males (92.72 ± 12.35) ( < 0.001). Similarly, the participants with high GPA (98.06 ± 13.69) had significantly greater mean empathy scores than those with low GPA (94.84 ± 13.68) (=0.029). The mean empathy score increased significantly from junior students (3 and 4 year students) to senior students (5 and 6 year students) and interns (=0.008). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that class year ( = 2.03, =0.006) and GPA ( = 8.67, =0.003) were significant factors associated with empathy.
Empathy is important for effective patient communication and improved provider-patient relationship. Female gender, high GPA, and class years were associated with empathy. Empathy should be integrated into dental curricula for effective student learning and positive patient care outcomes.
评估沙特阿拉伯达曼一所公立牙科学院的本科牙科学生和实习生的同理心及其相关因素。
本横断面研究采用杰斐逊医学生同理心量表（JSE-HPS）版本，以确定沙特阿拉伯达曼362名牙科学生和实习生的同理心。JSE-HPS是一份包含20个条目的7点李克特量表问卷，其得分范围为20至140分，高分表明同理心增强。评估了年龄、性别、年级、上一年的平均绩点（GPA）、父母的教育程度以及家庭月收入对同理心的影响。
在501名注册学生和实习生中，362人返回了完整的问卷，研究的回复率为72%。样本的同理心得分（JSPE-HPS量表）范围为70至129分，平均分为96.75（±13.76）。大多数参与者认为同理心对于与患者进行有效沟通很重要（96.1%），并且可以改善医患关系（95.6%）。女性的平均同理心得分（99.98±14.01）显著高于男性（92.72±12.35）（<0.001）。同样，高GPA的参与者（98.06±13.69）的平均同理心得分显著高于低GPA的参与者（94.84±13.68）（=0.029）。从低年级学生（大三和大四学生）到高年级学生（大五和大六学生）以及实习生，平均同理心得分显著增加（=0.008）。多元线性回归分析表明，年级（=2.03，=0.006）和GPA（=8.67，=0.003）是与同理心相关的重要因素。
同理心对于有效的患者沟通和改善医患关系很重要。女性、高GPA和年级与同理心相关。应将同理心纳入牙科课程，以实现有效的学生学习和积极的患者护理结果。
