title: Parental preferences with regards to disclosure following adverse events occurring in relation to medication use or diagnosis in the care of their children - perspectives from Malaysia.
abstract: Open disclosure is poorly understood in Malaysia but is an ethical and professional responsibility. The objectives of this study were to determine: (1) the perception of parents regarding the severity of medical error in relation to medication use or diagnosis; (2) the preference of parents for information following the medical error and its relation to severity; and (3) the preference of parents with regards to disciplinary action, reporting, and legal action.
  
  
  
  We translated and contextualised a questionnaire developed from a previous study. The questionnaire consisted of four case vignettes that described the following: medication error with a lifelong complication; diagnostic error with a lifelong complication; diagnostic error without lifelong effect; and medication error without lifelong effect. Each case vignette was followed by a series of questions examining the subject's perception on the above areas. We also determined the content validity of the questionnaire. We invited parents of Malaysian children admitted to the paediatric wards of Tuanku Jaafar Hospital to participate in the study.
  
  
  
  One hundred and twenty-three parents participated in the study. The majority of parents wanted to be told regarding the event. As the severity of the case vignettes increased, the desire for information, remedial action, acknowledgement of responsibility, compensation, punishment, legal action, and reporting to a higher agency also increased. The findings did not have strong evidence of a relationship with subject's demographics.
  
  
  
  This study gives insights into previously unexplored perspectives and preferences of parents in Malaysia regarding open disclosure. It also highlights the opportunity for more research in this area with potentially broad applications.
authors: International Medical University, Department of Family Medicine, Jalan Rasah, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. chinhoong_uk@yahoo.co.uk.
authors: C H
authors: CH
authors: Wong
authors: International Medical University, IMU Clinical School, Jalan Rasah, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors: T R
authors: TR
authors: Tan
authors: International Medical University, IMU Clinical School, Jalan Rasah, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors: H Y
authors: HY
authors: Heng Hy
authors: International Medical University, IMU Clinical School, Jalan Rasah, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Ramesh
authors: International Medical University, IMU Clinical School, Jalan Rasah, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors: P W
authors: PW
authors: Ting
authors: International Medical University, IMU Clinical School, Jalan Rasah, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors: W S
authors: WS
authors: Lee
authors: International Medical University, Department of Family Medicine, Jalan Rasah, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors: C L
authors: CL
authors: Teng
authors: International Medical University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Jalan Rasah, 70300 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Sivalingam
authors: Tuanku Jaafar Hospital, Department of Paediatrics, Seremban, Malaysia.
authors: K K
authors: KK
authors: Tan
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D019300:Medical Errors; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure