Perceptions of privacy in the care of elderly people in five European countries.
The focus of this article is on elderly patients' and nursing staff perceptions of privacy in the care of elderly patients/residents in five European countries. Privacy includes physical, social and informational elements. The results show that perceptions of privacy were strongest in the UK (Scotland) and weakest in Greece. Country comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between the perceptions of elderly patients and also between those of nurses working in the same ward or long-term care facility. Perceptions of privacy by patients and their nursing staff were quite similar in Finland, Germany and the UK. In contrast, in Greece and Spain these perceptions were different: nurses believed that they took account of their patients' privacy needs more often than the patients themselves felt this was the case. Among Spanish and UK patients, an association was found between lower levels of independence and comparatively less positive perceptions of privacy. No associations were established between nurses' perceptions and their demographic factors. This is the third of a set of five articles published together in this issue of Nursing Ethics in which the results of this comparative research project are presented.
Schopp
Anja
A
Humbolt University, Berlin, Germany.
Leino-Kilpi
Helena
H
Välimäki
Maritta
M
Dassen
Theo
T
Gasull
Maria
M
Lemonidou
Chryssoula
C
Scott
P Anne
PA
Arndt
Marianne
M
Kaljonen
Anne
A
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel / Q000208:ethnology*; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D005858:Germany; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D018907:Privacy / Q000523:psychology*; D012606:Scotland; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires