Investigating the Factors Behind Patients' Desire and Decision to be Accompanied: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis

ABSTRACT Introduction Medical education typically focuses on the dyadic interaction between patient and physician. However, there is another significant presence in the room that can also impact the patient's health outcomes: caregivers. This topic has been relatively underexplored until now, a...

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Main Authors: Mehmet Göktuğ Kılınçarslan, Büşra Dönmez, Yasemin Kaya Beştepe, Büşra Nur Kırıkcıoğlu, Merve Akbaşoğlu, Bezar Karakaya, Erkan Melih Şahin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-02-01
Series:Health Expectations
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.70102
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author Mehmet Göktuğ Kılınçarslan
Büşra Dönmez
Yasemin Kaya Beştepe
Büşra Nur Kırıkcıoğlu
Merve Akbaşoğlu
Bezar Karakaya
Erkan Melih Şahin
author_facet Mehmet Göktuğ Kılınçarslan
Büşra Dönmez
Yasemin Kaya Beştepe
Büşra Nur Kırıkcıoğlu
Merve Akbaşoğlu
Bezar Karakaya
Erkan Melih Şahin
author_sort Mehmet Göktuğ Kılınçarslan
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Introduction Medical education typically focuses on the dyadic interaction between patient and physician. However, there is another significant presence in the room that can also impact the patient's health outcomes: caregivers. This topic has been relatively underexplored until now, and there is insufficient information available regarding situations in different cultures. In this study, we aimed to separately examine the characteristics of patients that influence the frequency of being accompanied and those that affect patients' preferences regarding the presence of a companion. Methods This cross‐sectional study was conducted in family medicine clinic of a tertiary hospital. During a period of 15 days, a total of 285 patients who visited the clinic were administered the questionnaire face‐to‐face. Two logistic regression models were used for dependent variables of “actual” and “desired” situations of admitting to healthcare service with companion. Results Of the participants, 167 (58.6%) were female, and the mean age was 36.8 ± 16.2 The sole significant factor, influencing actual visits to be occurred with a companion, was the solution for transportation issues (odds ratio [OR]: 26.25). It was found that unmarried individuals (single/divorced/widowed) (OR: 5.47), those with higher income (OR: 1.84), and older individuals (OR: 1.04) had a higher tendency to prefer visiting the clinic with companion while female are as opposite (OR: 0.50). Anxiety, perceived social support, and health literacy weren't associated with actual situation or desire to have companion. Conclusion Patients have companions to address tangible issues. However, different factors may influence the desire to have a companion. There is a large group of individuals who, are accompanied at clinic visits against their wishes, indicating a conflict between being accompanied and the desire for one. Patient or Public Contribution Our study was inspired by the unsolicited comments of patients made about their companions during clinical visits. Additionally, community provided valuable feedback during the pilot application phase, particularly in the development of the data form.
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language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
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series Health Expectations
spelling doaj-art-265ba2c7f4ae4d69bcda87ee91eac2e82025-08-20T03:10:55ZengWileyHealth Expectations1369-65131369-76252025-02-01281n/an/a10.1111/hex.70102Investigating the Factors Behind Patients' Desire and Decision to be Accompanied: A Cross‐Sectional AnalysisMehmet Göktuğ Kılınçarslan0Büşra Dönmez1Yasemin Kaya Beştepe2Büşra Nur Kırıkcıoğlu3Merve Akbaşoğlu4Bezar Karakaya5Erkan Melih Şahin6Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Çanakkale TurkeyDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Çanakkale TurkeyDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Çanakkale TurkeyDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Çanakkale TurkeyDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Çanakkale TurkeyDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Çanakkale TurkeyDepartment of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Çanakkale TurkeyABSTRACT Introduction Medical education typically focuses on the dyadic interaction between patient and physician. However, there is another significant presence in the room that can also impact the patient's health outcomes: caregivers. This topic has been relatively underexplored until now, and there is insufficient information available regarding situations in different cultures. In this study, we aimed to separately examine the characteristics of patients that influence the frequency of being accompanied and those that affect patients' preferences regarding the presence of a companion. Methods This cross‐sectional study was conducted in family medicine clinic of a tertiary hospital. During a period of 15 days, a total of 285 patients who visited the clinic were administered the questionnaire face‐to‐face. Two logistic regression models were used for dependent variables of “actual” and “desired” situations of admitting to healthcare service with companion. Results Of the participants, 167 (58.6%) were female, and the mean age was 36.8 ± 16.2 The sole significant factor, influencing actual visits to be occurred with a companion, was the solution for transportation issues (odds ratio [OR]: 26.25). It was found that unmarried individuals (single/divorced/widowed) (OR: 5.47), those with higher income (OR: 1.84), and older individuals (OR: 1.04) had a higher tendency to prefer visiting the clinic with companion while female are as opposite (OR: 0.50). Anxiety, perceived social support, and health literacy weren't associated with actual situation or desire to have companion. Conclusion Patients have companions to address tangible issues. However, different factors may influence the desire to have a companion. There is a large group of individuals who, are accompanied at clinic visits against their wishes, indicating a conflict between being accompanied and the desire for one. Patient or Public Contribution Our study was inspired by the unsolicited comments of patients made about their companions during clinical visits. Additionally, community provided valuable feedback during the pilot application phase, particularly in the development of the data form.https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.70102anxietycompanionsdeveloping countrieshealth literacysocial support
spellingShingle Mehmet Göktuğ Kılınçarslan
Büşra Dönmez
Yasemin Kaya Beştepe
Büşra Nur Kırıkcıoğlu
Merve Akbaşoğlu
Bezar Karakaya
Erkan Melih Şahin
Investigating the Factors Behind Patients' Desire and Decision to be Accompanied: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis
Health Expectations
anxiety
companions
developing countries
health literacy
social support
title Investigating the Factors Behind Patients' Desire and Decision to be Accompanied: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis
title_full Investigating the Factors Behind Patients' Desire and Decision to be Accompanied: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis
title_fullStr Investigating the Factors Behind Patients' Desire and Decision to be Accompanied: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Investigating the Factors Behind Patients' Desire and Decision to be Accompanied: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis
title_short Investigating the Factors Behind Patients' Desire and Decision to be Accompanied: A Cross‐Sectional Analysis
title_sort investigating the factors behind patients desire and decision to be accompanied a cross sectional analysis
topic anxiety
companions
developing countries
health literacy
social support
url https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.70102
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AT busranurkırıkcıoglu investigatingthefactorsbehindpatientsdesireanddecisiontobeaccompaniedacrosssectionalanalysis
AT merveakbasoglu investigatingthefactorsbehindpatientsdesireanddecisiontobeaccompaniedacrosssectionalanalysis
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