Evaluation of medical sciences students’ awareness of the patients’ rights charter: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Compliance with patients’ rights by medical sciences students requires an understanding of the patients’ rights charter. This study aimed to assess the awareness of medical sciences students regarding the patients’ rights charter. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, involving all final-year medical sciences students at Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Iran (n=370). Samples were selected using convenience sampling, and data were collected through a questionnaire designed to evaluate awareness of the patients’ rights charter. The study included 269 students. The results indicated that over half of the students possessed a moderate level of awareness about the patients’ rights charter. Analysis of specific domains revealed that the right to access services had the highest percentage, while the right to personal autonomy had the lowest percentage of awareness. Furthermore, analysis of variance revealed that medical students exhibited the highest level of awareness. Given the moderate level of awareness among medical sciences students regarding the patients’ rights charter, it is essential to design and implement plans to enhance their understanding of patients’ rights.