Intended for healthcare professionals

  1. Research
  2. Patients' perceptions...
  3. Patients' perceptions of written consent: questionnaire study
Research

Patients' perceptions of written consent: questionnaire study

BMJ 2006; 333 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38922.516204.55 (Published 07 September 2006) Cite this as: BMJ 2006;333:528
  1. Andrea Akkad, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist1,
  2. Clare Jackson, research associate2,
  3. Sara Kenyon, senior research fellow2,
  4. Mary Dixon-Woods, reader in social science and health2,
  5. Nick Taub, research fellow in medical statistics2,
  6. Marwan Habiba, senior lecturer in obstetrics and gynaecology (mah6{at}le.ac.uk)1
  1. 1 Reproductive Science Section, Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine, University of Leicester, Leicester LE2 7LX
  2. 2 Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 6TP
  1. Correspondence to: M Habiba
  • Accepted 14 July 2006

Abstract

Objective To examine patients' understanding of the status, function, and remit of written consent to surgery.

Design Prospective questionnaire study. Questionnaires were sent to patients within one month of surgery. Responses were analysed with frequencies and single variable analyses.

Setting Large teaching hospital.

Participants 732 patients who had undergone surgery in obstetrics and gynaecology over a six month period.

Main outcome measures Patients' awareness of the legal implications of written consent and their views on the function and remit of the consent form.

Results Patients had limited understanding of the legal standing of written consent. Nearly half (46%, 95% confidence interval 43% to 50%) of patients believed the primary function of consent forms was to protect hospitals and 68% (65% to 71%) thought consent forms allowed doctors to assume control. Only 41% (37% to 44%) of patients believed consent forms made their wishes known.

Conclusions Many patients seem to have limited awareness of the legal implications of signing or not signing consent forms, and they do not recognise written consent as primarily serving their interests. Current consent procedures seem inadequate as a means for the expression of autonomous choice, and their ethical standing and credibility can be called into question.

Footnotes

  • Contributors MH, MD-W, AA, and SK and conceived and designed the study and obtained funding. MH, SK, CJ, MD-W, and AA designed and piloted the questionnaire. CJ undertook administration of the survey, data entry, and preliminary analysis. AA and NT undertook statistical analysis. All authors contributed to the writing of the paper and approved the final draft. AA is the guarantor.

  • Funding Trent Research and Development, NHS Executive.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Ethical approval The local research ethics committee approved the study.

View Full Text
Back to top