AWARENESS OF MEDICAL GRADUATES ABOUT CAPACITY ASSESSMENT OF PATIENTS – A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Background: Autonomy is basic fundamental right of every patient. It is the free will to decide whether to take or refuse any treatment. Pakistan Medical and Dental Council states that autonomy should always be respected; doctor should assess capacity of every patient. The autonomy can be overridden only if patient has impaired capacity to make decision. For this reason subject of Behavioural Sciences was introduced in medical curriculum to broaden doctor’s knowledge about medical ethics and thus improving patient’s care. Objective: In this study, two groups were made on the basis of whether the medical graduates had been taught the subject of Behavioural Sciences or not, and multiple questions were asked to check their knowledge about capacity assessment. Methods and Results: It was a comparative study conducted in 2012 – 13 in Lahore. The study group of medical graduates of Services Institute of Medical Sciences Lahore affiliated with University of Health Sciences (the group who had been taught and examined in the subject of Behavioural Sciences) were significantly better aware of the knowledge about capacity assessment, as compared to the study group of medical graduates of King Edward Medical University Lahore (the group who had not been taught or examined in the subject of Behavioural Sciences). Conclusions: The study group of medical graduates who had been taught and examined in the subject of Behavioural Sciences were significantly better aware of the knowledge about capacity assessment.