EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE CONTENTS OF THE PATIENTS INFORMED CONSENT FORMS FOR MEDICAL IMAGING SERVICES IN THE GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS IN NAIROBI CITY COUNTY, KENYA
Victoria Otysula Koi - Master of Health Management, School of Public Health, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Andrea Yitambe - Department of Health Management and Informatics, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Dr. Peterson Warutere - Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Informed consent is a requirement by the law to allow patients to make decisions with respect to their health and well-being. It is an ethical and legal requirement that patients seeking medical imaging services should give an informed consent prior to seeking treatment with respect from healthcare providers. However, the extent of usage of the informed consent process vary across medical procedures. The study therefore seeks to assess the contents of the patients Informed Consent Forms for medical imaging services in the government hospitals in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional study design. The study specifically focused on administration of informed consent, contents of the patients Informed Consent Forms and modes of informed consent used among patients for medical imaging services. Imaging departments in Kenyatta National hospital, Mbagathi, Mama Lucy, National spinal injury and National Mathare Hospitals in Nairobi City County were chosen as the area of study. Patients in the imaging departments of the selected hospitals were recruited for study. The sample size selected was 307 respondents. The respondents were selected using systematic random sampling at a predetermined interval of 3. Collected data was coded for analysis by use of SPSS. Analysis was conducted on descriptive and inferential statistics. Frequency tables, pie-charts and graphs were used to present the quantitative data. Inferential statistics were done using Chi Square tests to determine the association between study variables at 95% confidence interval (p<0.05). The ethical considerations were strictly followed during data collection. It was further revealed that age (χ2=3.782; df= 4; p=0.016;), level of education (χ2=3.89; df= 4; p=0.030), revelation of reason for referral (χ2=26.081; df=1; p=0.001), provision of right to refuse or defer imaging (χ2=33.468; df= 1; p=0.001), giving consent for treatment (χ2=70.733; df=1; p=0.001), decision making for wellbeing (χ2=12.056; df=1; p=0.001), pre-operative counseling (χ2=9.533; df=1; p=0.002), cases of negligence from clinicians (χ2=22.414; df=1; p=0.001), understanding information provided by clinicians (χ2=4.394; df=1; p=0.036), adaptation of informed consent doctrine meeting physicians and patients (χ2=7.648; df=1; p=0.006), performance of diagnosis from patients’ past medical history (χ2=9.788; df=1; p=0.002), advice on alternative treatment options available (χ2=8.065; df=1; p=0.005), disclosure of information by practitioners (χ2=19.406; df=1; p=0.001) and physical examination done before medication (χ2=9.006; df=1; p=0.003) were significantly associated with informed consent administration among respondents. The study concludes majority of the domains of the contents of informed consent had a significant statistical association with administration of informed consent among respondents. These research findings provide a great insights and information to leaders, managers, law makers, governing and oversight authorities in decision making, policy formulation, strategic planning and regulation in a context specific to provide a conducive environment for practicing medical imaging procedures in an ethical and legal manner.
