Predictors of Healthcare Workers’ Compassionate Care Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Patients’ Perspective in Kelantan, Malaysia

Noorhidayu Monyati Mohamed Noor, Mohd Ismail Ibrahim (), Suhaily Mohd Hairon, Maizun Mohd Zain and Mohd Saiful Nazri Satiman
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Noorhidayu Monyati Mohamed Noor: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
Mohd Ismail Ibrahim: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
Suhaily Mohd Hairon: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia
Maizun Mohd Zain: Public Health Unit, Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu 16150, Malaysia
Mohd Saiful Nazri Satiman: Medical Division, Kelantan State Health Department, Kota Bharu 16150, Malaysia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Compassionate care served by healthcare workers (HCWs) has been recognized as one of the most critical aspects of high-quality care. Unfortunately, there is still an unmet need for the assessment of compassionate care from the patient’s perspective. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many new rules were enacted to tackle the raging pandemic, which raised concerns about its effect on compassionate care. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 315 patients from three public hospitals was conducted during the conditional movement control order (CMCO). A self-administered Malay version of the Relational Aspect of Care Questionnaire (RAC-QM) was used to assess compassionate care. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the predictors. Results: More than 90% of the patients were Malays, Muslims, and fell under the B40 household income category. Companions were present for 51.7% of the patients, but 75.2% had no visitors. All hospitals received scores of more than 90%. Occupation (student, p = 0.032), dependency level (total dependent, p < 0.001), and household income level (M40, p = 0.027) were the statistically significant predictors for compassionate care. Conclusions: The current study revealed that compassionate care to patients was not compromised during the pandemic. Patients with disabilities or financial constraints are more likely to experience less compassionate care, while students are generally more satisfied. This study may provide clues for hospital administrators and policymakers regarding the vulnerable group of patients. It also provides opportunities for future research to study the perspective of HCWs.

Keywords: compassionate care; relational aspect of care questionnaire Malay version; predictors; COVID-19 pandemic; inpatients; public hospitals (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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