Perception of coercion of patients subjected to invasive medical procedure

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the perception of coercion in hospitalized adults and elderly people subjected to invasive medical procedures. A quantitative cross-sectional study method, with a coercion perception scale, was used with 300 inpatients after surgery. The proportions and possible associations between groups, genders, elective procedures, urgency and degree of complexity were compared. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyzes were performed. The results indicate that most patients (82.7%) presented low perception of coercion, regardless of the degree of complexity of the procedures. However, this perception increased in cases of urgent procedures, when compared to elective procedures, regardless of age ( p <0.0001). The perception of coercion was generally low, as most participants felt involved in the decision to perform the procedure. Respect for patients’ autonomy was confirmed, as the medical team shared with them and their families the decision to operate, which was an appropriate result from the bioethical point of view.