환자 개인정보보호에 대한 치위생 전공 학생의 인식도

Background: The purpose of the present study was to gather basic data necessary for developing an educational program regarding the protection of patients’ personal information. Such a program would stress the importance of the protection of patients’ personal information for dental hygiene students obtaining clinical practice. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire-based survey was conducted targeting dental hygiene undergraduates who were obtaining clinical practice in the capital region. A total of 543 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Results: The results of this study were as follows: 1) the average score for awareness of the Patient Privacy Act was 2.93 on a 4-point scale; 2) the average score for the recognition of the protection of patients’ personal information was 3.22 on a 4-point scale; 3) the area-based perception of the protection of patient’s personal information was 3.37 points for communication, which scored highest, followed-by the linked-work area at 3.27 points, the patient’s information management at 3.22 points, and the direct dental hygiene work at 3.18 points; 4) with regard to awareness of the protection of patients’ personal information according to general characteristics, the perception was higher in the advanced academic year (p < 0.01), in those who had education regarding the protection of patients’ personal information at both the university and the clinical practice institution (p < .05), and in those with higher grades (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Based on the above findings, the development and application of an educational program to improve awareness of the protection of patients’ personal information are considered to be necessary by both universities and clinical practice institutions.