Awareness of and respect for the rights of the patients with psychological disorders in view of psychiatrists

Rights of patients with mental disorders are violated in many different ways، and since these patients comprise the most vulnerable section of the society، defending their rights is imperative. Knowledge of psychiatrists and all those involved with these patients of relevant laws plays an influential role in advancing treatment، legal، and humane objectives. This study aimed to determine the relationship between awareness of psychiatrists of rights of patients with psychological disorders and level of respect for these rights from their perspective in hospitals affiliated with Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences in 2012. This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 20 psychiatrists in teaching and non-teaching hospitals affiliated to Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences who entered the study in the form of a census in 2012. To collect data، a three part researcher-constructed questionnaire of “rights of patients with psychological disorder” was used. Psychiatrists completed the questionnaire in self-reporting style. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient test. SPSS-19 software was used for data analysis. Majority of psychiatrists (75%) showed a good awareness of the rights of the mentally ill، and 25% showed moderate awareness. In view of majority of psychiatrists (55%) respect for the rights of the mentally ill was good، 15% thought it moderate، and 30% rated it very good. According to results of Pearson correlation coefficient test، no significant relationship was found between awareness and respect for rights of these patients in view of the study subjects. The lowest levels of awareness and respect for rights in view of psychiatrists related to items of “patients’ access to his own medical files and being informed of its contents (information about diagnosis، stages of treatment and course of the illness)” and “expressing delinquency occurred during service provision to the patient by the culprit person”. During patient’s treatment، by considering basic rights of the patient، physicians could raise efficacy and quality of treatment to maximum level. Although in the present study، views of majority of psychiatrists of awareness and respect for the rights of the mentally handicapped was good، all psychiatrists must make their maximum effort to respect patient’s rights and to familiarize patients with their own rights as well.