Empathy with the patient in medical specialists working in a Hospital in Cuenca, Ecuador.

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/revsalud/a.12951

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Published: May 31, 2024
Issue: Vol. 22 No. 2 (2024): Revista Ciencias de la Salud
Section Clinical or Experimental Research


Keywords: empathy physicians public hospital

Main Article Content

Authors

  Víctor Patricio Díaz-Narvaez
Universidad Andres Bello
  Yolanda Davila Pontón
Universidad del Azuay
  Mabel Marín Dávila
Universidad del Azuay
  Bianca Carbone Paz
Universidad del Azuay
  Alejandro Reyes Reyes
Universidad Santo Tomás. Sede Concepción.
  Aracelis Calzadilla Núñez
Universidad Bernardo OHiggins

Abstract

Introduction: Empathy is one of the components of the structure of humanization in patient care. Medical specialists must have high levels of empathy. Objective: The aim of this paper is to describe the levels of empathy in doctors working in a highly complex hospital and to explore whether there are differences between the specialties studied.


Methods: A convenience sample of 237 physicians representing 53.55% of the total population (N=443) was accessed. Empathy was measured using the Empathy Scale for Health Professionals (HP). Confirmatory factor analysis and multigroup analysis were performed to examine the invariance of the model between the sexes and reliability analyzes (Cronbach's α, intraclass correlation coefficient and McDonald's ω).


Results: The specialty of pediatrics had the highest levels in general empathy and in the Compassionate Care and Walking in Patient Shoes subscales, but not in the Perspective Taking subescale where it presents levels similar to the specialties of anesthesiology, critical medicine and intensive care. and gynecology.


Conclusions: The empathy values and the values in the compassionate care and “Walking in the patient's shoes” subscales were (in absolute values, but not statistically) higher in the Pediatrics specialty. In the subscale Perspective Taking, Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, Surgery, and Clinic, practically the same scores were observed. Other studies are required to arrive at an explanation that allows us to understand why some specialties have higher empathy values than others.

Author Biography

Yolanda Davila Pontón, Universidad del Azuay

Research Professor in the area of mental health at the University of Azuay in the Faculty of Medicine, teaching behavioral sciences. Department of Medical Psychology, Cuenca, Ecuador.

How to Cite
Díaz-Narvaez, V. P., Davila Pontón, Y., Marín Dávila, M., Carbone Paz, B., Reyes Reyes, A., & Calzadilla Núñez, A. (2024). Empathy with the patient in medical specialists working in a Hospital in Cuenca, Ecuador. Revista Ciencias De La Salud, 22(2), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.12804/revistas.urosario.edu.co/revsalud/a.12951
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