Primary Care Professionals' Empathy and Its Relationship to Approaching Patients with Risky Alcohol Consumption

• Published in: Healthcare (Basel) 2024-01, Vol.12 (2), p.262
• Main Authors: Pérula-Jiménez, Celia, Romero-Rodríguez, Esperanza, Fernández-Solana, Jessica, Fernández-García, José Ángel, Parras-Rejano, Juan Manuel, Pérula-de Torres, Luis Ángel, González-de la Rubia, Ana, González-Santos, Josefa, Collaborative Group Alco-Ap Study
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohol; alcohol consumption; Chronic diseases; clinical performance; Diagnosis; Drinking of alcoholic beverages; Empathy; Family medicine; Health aspects; Health services; healthcare professionals; Informed consent; Jefferson Scale of Empathy; Medical personnel; Patient satisfaction; Pregnant women; Prevention; Primary care; Professionals; Questionnaires; Risk factors; Womens health
• ISSN: 2227-9032; 2227-9032
• DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12020262

The aim of this study was to estimate the level of empathy among primary care (PC) health professionals and its relationship with their approach to patients at risk due to alcohol consumption. This is an observational, descriptive, and multicenter study that included 80 PHC professionals. The professionals completed a questionnaire comprising socio-occupational questions and inquiries regarding their actions when dealing with patients suspected of risky alcohol consumption. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy was used to measure their level of empathy and was completed by 80 professionals, of whom 57.5% were family physicians, 10% were nurses, and 32.5% were family- and community-medicine residents. The mean age was 39.5 ± 13.1 (SD) (range of 24-65 years) and 71.3% were females. The mean empathy level score was 112.9 ± 11.1 (95% CI: 110.4-115.4; range: 81-132 points). Actions that stood out for their frequency were providing health advice in the general population, offering advice to pregnant women, and recommending abstinence to users of hazardous machinery or motor vehicles. The level of empathy was associated with age ( = 0.029), the health center's scope ( = 0.044), systematic alcohol exploration ( = 0.034), and follow-ups for patients diagnosed with risky consumption ( = 0.037). The mean score obtained indicated a high level of empathy among professionals. Professionals with greater empathy more frequently conducted systematic screening for risky alcohol consumption.