Informed Consent under the Ghana Health Service Patients Charter: Practice and Awareness

Oti, Alexander Acheampong; Owusu-Dapaah, Ernest; Adomako-Kwaakye, Chris; Sabbah, Daniel Kwesi; Obiri‐Yeboah, Solomon; Amuasi, Ama; Amankwa, Adu Tutu; Adjei-Bediako, Ebenezer; Adu-Boakye, Eva

doi:10.4236/jbm.2016.44009

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…In the words of Oti et al (2016), a doctor’s inherent duty to provide a person with enough information is to ensure that the patient’s ultimate decision is based on an appreciable knowledge of his/her condition, the available options for treatment, known risks and prognoses. It is, therefore, established that every competent adult has the right to decide whether to consent or refuse any medical treatment, even if such refusal could lead to the death of that patient (Leclercq et al , 2010).…”

Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Respect for patients’ rights in health facilities: experiences of patients during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana

Golo

2022

IJHRH

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Purpose This paper aims to identify human rights violations of patients during the early periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana by investigating the experiences of people on how health-care professionals discharged their responsibilities during the time in question. Design/methodology/approach Explanatory design of the mixed methods approach was adopted, with the intention of collecting both quantitative and qualitative data sequentially, and then integrating the results at the interpretation stage. The approach enriched the quality of data collected as it offered the advantage of shedding light on the primary motivations and reasons for attitudes and behaviours and helped to provide an in-depth understanding of how individuals interpret the happenings around them and their experiences. Thus, although some amount of quantitative method was used in the data collection, the core of this paper is based on the qualitative interpretations. Findings The study reveals that health-care professionals, especially those in the Tema Metropolis, undermined certain fundamental human rights of patients during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes failure to provide information to patients about treatment options and potential risks of medications; failure to seek the informed consent of patients before performing medical procedures; denial of access to medical files of patients for transfer; and inability or failure to provide medical ambulances services to patients on time. Originality/value Although many publications on human rights dimensions and health protective issues on COVID-19 pandemic are available on a global scale, still little information pertaining to experiences of individuals with health-care professionals during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in Ghana through the lens of patient’s rights exists. This paper, therefore, fills an important gap in health-care management information, critical for policy decision-making processes regarding patient’s rights in times of pandemic control.

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Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Respect for patients’ rights in health facilities: experiences of patients during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana

Golo

2022

IJHRH

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“…According to Oti et al,75 42 per cent of respondents stated that doctors "know best," so should be made to choose the treatment plan for patients. That perspective of 71 Canterbury v. Spence(1972) Oti et al, (2016) respondents could be interpreted as a willingness to waive their right to informed consent. Few questions may arise when patients effectively waive their right to grant informed consent.…”

Section: Exceptions To Informed Consent Doctrinementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This researcher acknowledges the authors of the seven empirical studies on informed consent from the five common law African countries (namely Joseph Ochieng et al(2015), David Nono et al, (2022), J Muthoni Ntonjira (2012), SC. Chima (2015), P. Theletsane et al., (2021), OO Ogunbode et al,(2015) and Alexander Acheampong Oti et al, (2016)) sampled for this Systematic Review. Author has adequately cited and referenced all source materials reviewed as well as other sources used.…”

Section: Acknowledgementmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Systematic Review of Patient Perspective on the Informed Consent Doctrine: Ethical and Legal Reflections

Ghartey

2023

ucclj

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Informed consent is an ethical and legal doctrine of patients’ right of acquiescence to treatment and the disclosure of adequate information by the physician to facilitate patients’ medical decisions. The doctrine seeks to expand the scope of potential legal liabilities of medical practitioners and to promote patients’ rights to medical care. A breach of the informed consent doctrine could be actionable in battery or assault when there is bodily trespass without consent and the tort of clinical negligence when there are inadequate disclosures. This article is a desk-top systematic review of primary data from seven independent empirical studies on informed consent from the perspective of the patient in five common law African countries. The publications which were purposively searched and extracted from Google Scholar reveal that though majority of patients (at least 79 percent) granted consent for treatment, there was insufficient disclosure of material complications or risks, treatment alternatives or the right of patients to refuse medical treatment if they so wished. Disclosures on material risks were as low as 21.2 percent of patients. The physician’s competence in providing adequate information disclosure, demands continual medical training in the practice of the informed consent doctrine. The application of communication strategies that could enhance patients’ capacity to understand the informed consent process is recommended. Additionally, clear guidelines from relevant regulatory bodies are recommended to promote patient rights to informed consent and to protect medical practitioners from potential legal liabilities.

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“…In spite of the conspicuous display of patients’ rights and responsibilities in various healthcare facilities across Ghana, several studies have reported low awareness and knowledge of the charter and its contents among both patients and healthcare providers [ 3 , 6 – 8 ]. Research in Ghana has examined various aspects of the PRC over the years, including its implementation, public awareness, and understanding of the rights and responsibilities of patients and healthcare providers [ 6 , 7 , 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Literacy-related factors and knowledge of patient rights charter: evidence from nurses in selected hospitals in Ghana

Atta-Doku,

Abekah-Nkrumah,

Nkrumah

et al. 2024

BMC Nurs

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Background Systems of across the world have developed and implemented patient rights policies to protect and improve the provider-patient relationship. The Patient Charter of Ghana was developed in 2002 to improve service quality and protect patients’ rights. However, it is not yet known whether those at the frontline of healthcare delivery can read and understand the contents of the charter. While studies have explored the socioeconomic and institutional level factors related to awareness and knowledge of the Patient Rights Charter, there is a lack of literature on its readability and comprehensibility among nurses. This study assesses nurses’ knowledge of the Patient Rights Charter and associated literacy-related factors. Method An exploratory cross-sectional design and quantitative methods were used to collect data on knowledge, comprehension, and readability of the Patient Rights Charter. 205 nurses from four district hospitals in the Central Region were recruited using proportional and total enumeration sampling. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and were processed using SPSS (version 26) and an online text readability consensus calculator (version 2.0). Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed, and data were presented using simple frequencies, readability statistics, and regression output. Results The results show the charter is written at a higher reading grade level; Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (13.36), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (11.57), and Coleman-Liau Readability Index (14.2). The average reading grade level score was 14. The Gunning Fox Index (15.40) and the Flesch Reading Ease Score (34%) show the patient charter is difficult to read and will require at least 14 years of education to be able to read. 87.3% of nurses were able to read and comprehend the charter. Very few (8.3%) read at frustration level. Nurses’ actual comprehension of the charter was the only significant predictor of knowledge of the charter. Conclusion Comprehension of the patient charter is an important predictor of its knowledge. The results emphasize the need to enhance the readability and comprehensibility of the charter for providers. Hospitals can stimulate nurses’ knowledge of the charter by simplifying the charter’s language and deliberately educating nurses on its content.

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Informed Consent under the Ghana Health Service Patients Charter: Practice and Awareness

Cited by 5 publications

References 6 publications

Respect for patients’ rights in health facilities: experiences of patients during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana

Respect for patients’ rights in health facilities: experiences of patients during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana

A Systematic Review of Patient Perspective on the Informed Consent Doctrine: Ethical and Legal Reflections

Literacy-related factors and knowledge of patient rights charter: evidence from nurses in selected hospitals in Ghana

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