A Proactive Educational Model for Promoting Responsibility among Medical Consumers:

A Survey of Attitudinal Change among University Students

Abstract

This research focuses on how university students’ thinking related to medical consumer responsibility and action changes through studying medical consumer theory. The students in this study consist of two groups. The first group participated in a series of fifteen lectures entitled “Medical consumer Theory” in the first semester of 2013, the second did not. A before and after questionnaire was given to the two groups and the results compared. The questionnaire consisted of 25 questions related to medical consumer responsibility and action and was designed to gauge levels of awareness and whether participants acted based on that awareness. Results showed that in six of the twenty-five questions students taking the course had already taken action on medical consumer issues before attending the course. In fourteen of the remaining nineteen questions, awareness had increased in the group taking the course and there was a movement from basic awareness to action. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant difference between scores in twelve items when comparing both groups of students. These results suggest studying medical consumer theory could support consumers’ independence in this important sector. Therefore, the researcher intends to use existing course materials to develop a systematic model designed to raise awareness of medical consumer responsibility and action among the general public.