Assessing Human Dignity of the Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases at Shahid Mostafa Khomeini Hospital in the city of Ilam

Background and Aim: Respecting the patients’ human dignity plays a key role in improving their quality of life. This study aimed to assess the human dignity of the patients with cardiovascular disease at Shahid Mostafa Khomeini Hospital in the city of Ilam in 2015. Methods and Materials: The present study was a cross-sectional study conducted on 150 patients with cardiovascular diseases in Ilam in 2015 through availability sampling. To collect the data, the inherent dignity questionnaire (IDQ) was used. Daily visiting the men’s and women’s CCU and Post CCU sections, the researcher completed the human dignity questionnaire by interviews. To analyze the data, SPSS statistical software version 17 was used. Ethical Considerations: Ethical considerations observed in the present study were: explaining the purpose and processes of the study to each of the participants, assuring the participants of the anonymity and confidentiality of the information, and obtaining the verbal informed consent of the patients to participate in the research. Findings: 85 (56.7%) of the patients were males and 129 (86%) were married. The mean age of the participants was 55.61±8.43 and the average for the number of their children was 3.94±1.55. The mean score for human dignity of the patients was 3.79±1.15 out of 6. The lowest mean for human dignity of the patients was for their human dignity in the society (3.43 out of 6), and the highest mean was for their human dignity in the healthcare environment (4.29 out of 6). In addition, the relationship between human dignity and age, gender, education and occupation was statistically significant (P<0.05) Conclusion: In the present study, human dignity of the patients was at an average level. It is, therefore, necessary to do such appropriate interventions as carrying out dignity therapy techniques or using nursing care models. Please cite this article as: Borji M, Median K, Tavan H, Azami M. Assessing Human Dignity of the Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases at Shahid Mostafa Khomeini Hospital in the city of Ilam. Med Ethics J 2016; 10(37): 61-68.