“To Be Treated as a Person and Not as a Disease Entity”—Expectations of People with Visual Impairments towards Primary Healthcare: Results of the Mixed-Method Survey in Poland

Katarzyna Weronika Binder-Olibrowska (), Maciek Godycki-Ćwirko and Magdalena Agnieszka Wrzesińska
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Katarzyna Weronika Binder-Olibrowska: Department of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Lindleya 6, 90-131 Lodz, Poland
Maciek Godycki-Ćwirko: Centre for Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Kopcinskiego 20, 90-153 Lodz, Poland
Magdalena Agnieszka Wrzesińska: Department of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lodz, Lindleya 6, 90-131 Lodz, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-21

Abstract: Primary care is the core part of the Polish healthcare system. Improving its quality for vulnerable populations is among the principal goals of global and national health policies. Identifying patients’ needs is critical in this process. People who are blind or have low vision often demonstrate comorbidities and require more specific healthcare. The aim of this study was to explore the needs of Polish persons with visual impairments when they use primary care services. 219 respondents answered the “Patient value” questionnaire from the project Quality and Costs of Primary Care in Europe (QUALICOPC) and an open question regarding additional patients’ needs. Statistical and content analyses were used. The expectations of the study group regarding primary care appeared to be higher than those described in studies among other populations. Equity and accessibility were the most valued dimensions of care. Among particular aspects of care, those connected with psychosocial competencies and awareness of disability among medical staff appeared most frequently. Some personal characteristics were associated with preferences, including age, gender, longstanding conditions, quality of life, and disability-related variables. Our study indicates a need for multilevel interventions in legislation, economics, and medical staff training, with the people-centered approach as the option maximizing chances to meet diverse healthcare needs arising from particular disabilities.

Keywords: disability; general practice; health services research; healthcare needs; patient expectations; patient preferences; Poland; primary health care; quality of care; visual impairment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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