title: Preference to Patient-Centeredness in Undergraduate Audiology Students in Portugal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In health care, the model of patient-centered care is growing; and improved outcomes have been linked to patient-centeredness. Practicing audiologists have been found to strongly prefer a patient-centered approach as years in practice increase. It is unknown whether patient-centeredness begins during education and training.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study was aimed at understanding the preference to patient-centeredness in undergraduate audiology students in Portugal.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used a cross-sectional survey design.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and thirty-seven undergraduate audiology students completed patient-practitioner orientation scale (PPOS) and provided some demographic details.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and one-sample t tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference was found for sharing subscale (p ≤ 0.001), caring subscale (p = 0.033), and the PPOS full scale (p ≤ 0.001) among different undergraduate groups. Further, post hoc tests showed that the difference between year 1 and with years 2, 3, and 4 were significant for sharing subscale and PPOS full scale, but not for caring subscale. No significant differences were observed among the years 2, 3, and 4 for sharing subscale, caring subscale, and for PPOS full scale. When compared audiologists' preferences from a previous study on audiologists with students' preferences in the current study, significant difference for both subscales and full scale was found between year 1 students and audiologists (p ≤ 0.001), with higher preference to patient-centeredness was reported by qualified audiologists. Also, significant difference was found between audiologists and overall undergraduate group for caring subscale (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study suggests that audiology education influences preference to patient-centeredness. Within a year of undergraduate coursework, students tend to develop high preference to patient-centeredness, which stays stable during four years of undergraduate studies. These results provide useful insights to audiology education and training, particularly in the context of audiological rehabilitation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX.|The Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.|Audiology India, Mysore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Vinaya
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manchaiah
authors.affiliation: Department of Audiology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tomé
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX.
authors.forename: Ashley L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Dockens
authors.affiliation: Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harn
authors.affiliation: Expert Hearing Solutions, Wall Street Audiology Inc., Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Purushothaman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ganesan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001298:Audiology / Q000193:education*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011174:Portugal; D013334:Students; D055815:Young Adult