ABSTRACT

This study assessed patients’ attitude towards the use of radiology changing rooms and changing facilities. It was a survey research conducted in 2012 at the x-ray departments of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), National Orthopaedic Hospital (NOHE) and Niger Fondation Hospital (NFH), all in Enugu. Four research questions of atleast three items each were used to obtain data from 120 respondents using convenient sampling. The data were statistically analyzed using mean score tables. The analysis showed grand mean values of 2.4, 2.9, 3.1 and 2.9 for research questions 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The findings revealed that physical environment of the Changing rooms affects patients’ willingness to use the changing room; attitudes of patients towards radiology changing rooms and changing facilities are influenced by lack of adequate facilities in the x-ray changing rooms; concern for hygiene of x-ray changing gowns influences patients’ attitudes towards the use of radiology changing room facilities and x-ray changing gowns affect patients’ privacy. The mean score comparison of the physical environment of the x-ray changing rooms; facilities in the x-ray changing rooms and patients’ perception of dignity in the use of changing gowns in the three hospitals indicated respectively that general physical environment of the x-ray changing rooms influence patients’ attitudes in the three hospitals; facilities in the x-ray changing rooms in the three hospitals influence patients’ attitudes; and patients’ perception of dignity in the use of changing gowns contribute to their attitude in the three hospitals. This study will enable the radiology department to solve the problem of reluctance and negative attitudes of patients towards the use of radiology changing rooms and changing facilities.

INTRODUCTION

A patient is any recipient of health care services. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse or other health care providers.1 He is also ignorant and even apprehensive of the medical investigations and procedures necessary to get him better and so offer a rather little or no assistance to the treatment process. His attitude is affected by the rather strange hospital environment. He is unaware of the medical environment and may not know what to do to improve the diagnosis. He may therefore be afraid of not only the diagnostic procedures but also of the diagnostic facilities. Therefore, the patient needs reassurance2 and a professional guidance through the diagnostic procedures.

Attitude, as a psychological concept, is defined as an enduring system of positive or negative evaluation, emotional feelings, and pro or con action tendencies with respect to social object (of which a patient is a good example). Attitude is therefore made up of three parts: emotion, belief and behavior. Patients’ attitude therefore, is an indication of his evaluation, emotional feelings and reaction towards the hospital environment in general and radiology department in particular. Several factors, including patients’ level of awareness and education influence his attitude. Every accessory in the radiology department may appear contaminated in the eye of the uninformed patient. Therefore, to gain the patient’s confidence, adequate communication is vital.3

The radiology changing room is provided very close to the radiology (x-ray, mammography, CT etc) examination room. It is meant to help the patient, (irrespective of his/her level of knowledge of the diagnostic procedures) prepare adequately for the x-ray exams. This preparation is in the area of ensuring that the patient is dressed in a wear (changing gown) that will ensure that the x-ray examination is carried out without any clothing or other patient’s items interfering with the result of diagnosis. A well-lit and ventilated cubicles is required for each x-ray machine. A mirror, clothes hooks, changing gown and a bench are also provided for each changing room or changing cubicle. A larger sized dressing room may also be provided for the convenience of patients on a wheel chair. Each room should have curtains instead of a door. A toilet facilities may also be provided11.

Assessment of the attitude of patients towards the use of these changing rooms and its facilities is the aim of this research. Assessment is the process of gathering and reflecting on evidence to make informed and consistent judgements to improve the understanding of a situation , which in this case is the attitude of patients towards the use of changing room and its items. This assessment will be carried out using these public (UNTH, & NOHE) and private (MEMPHY’S HOSP& NIGER FOUND.) hospitals in Enugu state as case studies