Stress and Bio-Ethical Issues Perceived by Romanian Healthcare Practitioners in the COVID-19 Era

Patients' rights in physicians' practice during Covid-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Romania

BACKGROUND

Although the Covid-19 epidemic challenged existing medical care norms and practices, it was no excuse for unlawful conduct. On the contrary, legal compliance proved essential in fighting the pandemic. Within the European legal framework for the pandemic, patients were still entitled to be treated equally, by a specialized physician, with the possibility of seeking a second medical opinion, in a confidential setting, following prior and informed consent. This study examines physicians' practices regarding patients' rights during the Covid-19 pandemic and the effects of age, experience, and specialty on physicians' behavior and preferences. Additionally, it explores the nexus of malpractice complaints, malpractice fear, and legal compliance.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of attending physicians and general practitioners to assess compliance with patients' rights regulations. Respondents were physicians practicing in private and public settings in Southwestern Romania from July 2021 to May 2022.

RESULTS

396 attending physicians and 109 general practitioners participated in the research. Attending physicians acknowledged patients' rights in 55.7% of statements, while general practitioners showed a slightly higher level of compliance at 59.9%. Emergency and Anesthesia and Intensive Care physicians showed the lowest compliance. There were no significant behavioral differences based on physicians' age, years in practice, work sector, or location. However, when faced with the question of prioritizing treatment for patients with similar medical conditions, 46.2% of attending physicians reported favoring the younger patients. This preference was common among physicians under 39. Additionally, over half of the attending physicians reported working outside their area of expertise due to staff shortages. Malpractice fear was high among physicians, although unrelated to patients' claims, legal compliance, or working outside the scope of practice. It resulted in pressure and behavioral changes.

CONCLUSION

Adherence to patients' rights was low during the Covid-19 pandemic. Physicians could benefit from educational and administrative support to ensure better legal compliance. Further research is needed to determine if this behavior persists beyond the pandemic context.

Perspectives on Mass Media and Governmental Measures during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic in a Romanian Sample of Healthcare Practitioners

OBJECTIVE

Along with the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic around the globe, a proliferation of mass media information exposed the population to an infodemic with various implications documented worldwide. The present study analyzed Romanian healthcare practitioners' (HCPs) appraisal of COVID-19 mass media information and governmental measures throughout 2020, ranking vaccination priorities and moral values.

METHODS

97 HCP completed a cross-sectional survey with items referring to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

RESULTS

Findings were consistent with other studies, indicating an overall negative appraisal of mass media information, which predicted anxiety and relaxation difficulties. Unlike other studies, our sample reported a moderate level of satisfaction with official measures in 2020, which was not related to their view on mass media information. The ranking of population categories in the vaccination order showed similarities with the governmental vaccination program in 2021. Despite placing freedom third after health and love in the hierarchy of values, HCPs showed a high tendency of limiting individual liberty for the common good.

CONCLUSIONS

Results showed a dissociation between the overall negative appraisal of mass media information and the satisfaction with governmental measures in 2020. Romanian HCPs shared a secular perspective on moral values and assumed an authoritarian position.