The willingness and its influencing factors on patients to participate in patient safety spontaneous reports: A cross-sectional online study in China

Objectives: To understand the public's awareness of patient safety and willingness to participate, and to provide references for national medical institutions to carry out patient safety education and formulate patient safety management measures. This study aimed to investigate public recognition of patient safety and willingness to safety reporting and to provide references for national medical institutions to carry out patient safety education and formulate patient safety management measures with evidence-based information on construction, management, and patient-education of the reporting system of patient safety. Methods: Information including demographic characteristics, recognition of patient safety, comments on the Patient for Patient Safety program, comments on the spontaneous reports, and willingness to participate in spontaneous reports were collected by questionnaire and were presented in descriptive analysis. The chi-square test was used to analyze the association between the subjects' willingness to participate in the patient safety report and related factors. The impact of these associated factors on the willingness to participate in the patient safety report was evaluated and were analyzed using Ordinal Logistic Regression. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Results: A total of 27,493 people were surveyed validly in this study, of which 56.8% (95%CI: 56.21%-57.39%) of the respondents expressed their willingness to participate in the report, and 40.3% (95%CI: 39.72%-40.88%) expressed their willingness under certain conditions Participating, only 2.9% (95%CI: 2.62%-3.18%) are unwilling to participate. The results of multiple logistic regression found that factors that promote increased reporting willingness include gender (answer male OR=1.129, 95%CI: 1.068-1.191), and patient safety understanding (answer very well OR=1.590, 95%) CI: 1.439-1.756), patient participation in the evaluation of the effect of improving patient safety (think large OR=1.966, 95% CI: 1.790-2.162), evaluation of the effect of patient safety voluntary reports (think the effect will be great OR =6.166,95%CI:5.376-7.071, considered moderate OR=2.286, 95%CI: 2.000-2.614); factors that reduce willingness to report include age (answer below 20 OR=0.717,95% CI: 0.592-0.868); occupation (answer medical staff OR=0.741, 95%CI: 0.6960.788); patient safety status evaluation (answer general OR=0.668, 95%CI: 0.523-0.852). Conclusions: This study found that the public's recognition of patient safety and attitude towards safety reporting had significant effects on their willingness to participate in spontaneous reports. Pertinent measures, such as education of the public and construction of the reporting system, are expected to promote patient safety in China.

Automated summary

The public's understanding of patient safety and attitude towards safety reporting significantly impact their willingness to participate in spontaneous reports. Efforts to educate the public and develop reporting systems are expected to promote patient safety in China.