A Cross-Sectional Study: The Relationship Between Knowledge and Attitudes of Doctors Regarding the Principle of Autonomy for Patients with Sexually Transmitted Infections
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55018/janh.v7i2.362Keywords:
Attitude, Autonomy Principle, General Practitioners, KnowledgeAbstract
Background: Ethical dilemmas in handling cases of Exclusively Transmitted Infections (STIs) are often experienced by doctors due to their knowledge and attitudes in respecting the patient's right to autonomy. The objective of the research is to study the practitioners’ knowledge and attitudes concerning autonomy principles in facing STI patients.
Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study involved a total sampling of 32 general practitioners at Dustira Hospital. A researcher-designed, validated, and reliability-tested questionnaire was used to measure doctors’ knowledge (independent variable) and attitudes (dependent variable) toward patient autonomy. Expert consultation and a pilot test at Cibabat Hospital were conducted to ensure instrument suitability. Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation test, and ethical approval was obtained before the study..
Results: The results showed that 66% of general practitioners at Dustira Hospital had good knowledge of the principle of autonomy in managing patients with sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Doctors with over five years of experience demonstrated better knowledge (73%) compared to those with less experience (58.2%). Interestingly, among less experienced doctors who frequently treated STI patients, all had poor knowledge, whereas those who treated STI patients less often showed better knowledge (63%). Regarding attitudes, 53% of respondents had a good attitude toward autonomy-related ethical dilemmas. A greater proportion of doctors with more than five years of experience (60%) had good attitudes than those with less experience (47%). Notably, less experienced doctors who frequently managed STI cases showed entirely poor attitudes. Pearson correlation analysis indicated no significant relationship between knowledge and attitude (p = 0.425), with a very weak negative correlation (r = –0.146).
Conclusion: General practitioners with more work experience tend to demonstrate better knowledge and attitudes regarding patient autonomy in STI cases. However, practitioners with less than five years of experience who frequently treat STI patients exhibit both poor knowledge and unfavorable attitudes. A tendency toward empirical, experience-based decision-making over rational, principle-based reasoning may influence this.
Downloads
References
Achdiat, P. A., Rowawi, R., Pujiastuti, N. R., Amalia, F., Suwarsa, O., Anandita, R., & Maharani, R. H. (2025). Predictors of Serological Cure in Syphilis Patients: A Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Hospital in Bandung, Indonesia. Infection and Drug Resistance, 3023–3035.
Barbaric, J., Kuchukhidze, G., Seguy, N., Vovc, E., Babovic, M. J. T., Wi, T. E., Low-Beer, D., & Bozicevic, I. (2022). Surveillance and epidemiology of syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia in the non-European Union countries of the World Health Organization European Region, 2015 to 2020. Eurosurveillance, 27(8), 2100197.
Chandra, S., Broom, A., Peterie, M., Ridge, D., Kenny, K., Lafferty, L., Treloar, C., Applegate, T., & Broom, J. (2024). Emerging Dilemmas in the Age of Resistance: The Case of Sexually Transmitted Infections. Qualitative Health Research, 10497323241302668. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497323241302668
Delbon, P. (2018). The protection of health in the care and trust relationship between doctor and patient: Competence, professional autonomy and responsibility of the doctor and decision-making autonomy of the patient. Journal of Public Health Research, 7(3), jphr-2018. https://doi.org/10.4081/jphr.2018.1423
Elendu, C., Amaechi, D. C., Elendu, I. D., Elendu, T. C., Amaechi, E. C., Usoro, E. U., Chima-Ogbuiyi, N. L., Agbor, D. B. A., Onwuegbule, C. J., & Afolayan, E. F. (2024). Global perspectives on the burden of sexually transmitted diseases: A narrative review. Medicine, 103(20), e38199. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000038199
Medina-Perucha, L., Garcia-Sangenis, A., Moragas, A., Galvez-Hernandez, P., Cots, J. M., Lanau-Roig, A., Borras, A., Amo, I., Monfa, R., & Llor, C. (2020). Autonomy, power dynamics and antibiotic use in primary healthcare: a qualitative study. PLoS One, 15(12), e0244432. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244432
Permatasari, D., Mulyadi, E., Gamar Dian Pratiwi, I., Indriyani, R., & Puspitasari, D. I. (2024). Model of Risk Behavior for Prevention of HIV/AIDS Transmission Based on Self-Efficacy in Adolescents. Journal of Applied Nursing and Health, 6(2 SE-Articles), 339–349. https://doi.org/10.55018/janh.v6i2.241
Prahl, A., & Jin, K. T. W. (2024). Doctor who?: Norms, care, and autonomy in the attitudes of medical students toward AI pre-and post-ChatGPT. Human-Machine Communication, 8, 163–183.
Pratiwi, A. B., Padmawati, R. S., Mulyanto, J., & Willems, D. L. (2023). Patients values regarding primary health care: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative evidence. BMC Health Services Research, 23(1), 400.
Sethi, A., Schofield, S., McAleer, S., & Ajjawi, R. (2018). The influence of postgraduate qualifications on educational identity formation of healthcare professionals. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 23, 567–585.
Shachar, L. (2022). “You become a slightly better doctor”: Doctors adopting integrated medical expertise through interactions with E-patients. Social Science & Medicine, 305, 115038. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115038
Shrestha, C., Shrestha, A., Joshi, J., Karki, S., Acharya, S., & Joshi, S. (2021). Does teaching medical ethics ensure good knowledge, attitude, and reported practice? An ethical vignette-based cross-sectional survey among doctors in a tertiary teaching hospital in Nepal. BMC Medical Ethics, 22, 1–16.
Tegegne, M. D., Melaku, M. S., Shimie, A. W., Hunegnaw, D. D., Legese, M. G., Ejigu, T. A., Mengestie, N. D., Zemene, W., Zeleke, T., & Chanie, A. F. (2022). Health professionals’ knowledge and attitude towards patient confidentiality and associated factors in a resource-limited setting: a cross-sectional study. BMC Medical Ethics, 23(1), 26.
Unemo, M., Bradshaw, C. S., Hocking, J. S., de Vries, H. J. C., Francis, S. C., Mabey, D., Marrazzo, J. M., Sonder, G. J. B., Schwebke, J. R., & Hoornenborg, E. (2017). Sexually transmitted infections: challenges ahead. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 17(8), e235–e279.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ali Taufan, Sylvia Mustika Sari, Devita Sari A
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
