Analysis of Empathy Levels of Medicine Students

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the levels of empathy among medical students attending a philanthropic university, evaluating the evolution of compassionate care, the ability to put oneself in the patient's place and to look at things in perspective, among first-year and final-year medical students. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study with a quantitative approach. Two questionnaires were applied, one with sociodemographic data and the other the Jefferson Scale that evaluates medical empathy. Included in the survey were 152 academics from the first, second and sixth years of a medical course at a philanthropic university in the city of Goiânia/GO. Results: The mean age was 22.7 years (± 3.7), 64.5% female and 98.0% single. The majority reported a family income of more than 10 minimum wages (49.3%) and live in their own homes (84.2%). The overall score of the participants was 116.9 (± 13.0) and the final score was 117.1 (± 15.1). As regards compassionate care, the scores were 69.4 (± 8.0) and 68.8 (± 9.4), for the capacity to place themselves in the patient's position, 8.4 (± 3.0) and 8.6 (± 2.9), and looking at things in perspective, 39.1 (± 6.3) and 39.7 (± 6.3), respectively. In the entire sample population the scores were: overall (117.0 ± 13.9), compassionate care (69.1 ± 8.6), putting oneself in the place of the patient (8.5 ± 3.0) and taking a view of things in perspective (39.4 ± 6.3). In relation to “putting themselves in the patient's place” the age scores were: 18 to 24 years old, 8.6; 25 to 29 years of 8.2 and 30 to 45 years of 7.8. The female gender produced higher scores regarding empathy (119.0) and “compassionate care” (70.7). Conclusion: The data pointed to a discrete tendency of the graduating students to be more empathic than the newcomers. Sociodemographic data, such as female sex, the absence of personal illness, living in their own home and being a younger age were predictors that indicated greater empathic capacity in the relationship with the patients.

摘要
研究目的：分析某慈善办学医学院校医学生的共情水平，评估一年级、二年级及六年级（毕业班）医学生在慈悲照护能力、换位思考能力与多维视角看待事物能力上的发展变化。
研究方法：本研究为采用定量研究方法的横断面描述性研究。共使用两份调研问卷，其一用于收集社会人口统计学数据，其二为评估医学共情的杰弗逊医学共情量表（Jefferson Scale）。本次调查纳入巴西戈亚尼亚市某慈善办学医学院校医学专业一年级、二年级及六年级共152名医学生作为研究对象。
研究结果：研究对象的平均年龄为22.7岁（±3.7），其中女性占比64.5%，未婚比例达98.0%。多数研究对象家庭收入高于10倍最低工资标准（49.3%），且居住于自有住房（84.2%）。参与者整体共情总得分均值为116.9（±13.0），毕业班学生的总得分均值为117.1（±15.1）。分项维度得分方面，慈悲照护维度得分分别为69.4（±8.0）与68.8（±9.4），换位思考维度得分分别为8.4（±3.0）与8.6（±2.9），多维视角看待事物维度得分分别为39.1（±6.3）与39.7（±6.3）。全样本的整体得分情况为：总得分117.0±13.9，慈悲照护维度69.1±8.6，换位思考维度8.5±3.0，多维视角看待事物维度39.4±6.3。针对「换位思考」维度，不同年龄组得分分别为：18~24岁组8.6，25~29岁组8.2，30~45岁组7.8。女性群体在共情总得分（119.0）及慈悲照护维度得分（70.7）上均更高。
研究结论：数据显示，毕业班医学生的共情水平较低年级新生呈现出轻微提升趋势。社会人口统计学特征如女性性别、无个人疾病史、居住于自有住房及低龄，均为提升医患关系中共情能力的正向预测因素。