Empathy amongst doctors: an observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Empathy is the ability to put oneself in another's emotional space and experience what they feel. Either due to lack of experience or mundaness of practice, a state of empathy can become premised, and individuals become indifferent or detached. We aimed to explore the level of empathy among doctors at different levels of practice, age, gender, academics, non-academics and discipline. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, observational study on empathy among doctors practicing in the private, public hospital sector and faculty at a medical university in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia that utilised convenience sampling for data collection. The Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) a validated tool was used to measure empathy. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 127 doctors, 52% (n= 66) were males and 48% (n=61) females. There was no significant difference in empathy between male (M=46.44; SD=6.01) and female (M=45.05, SD=5.69) doctors; t (123) = 1.326, p=0.187. Pearson correlation coefficient was computed to assess the linear relationship between age and empathy and revealed no correlation between the two variables: r (125) =0.15, p=0.099. Medical-based doctors (M= 47.47, SD=5.98) demonstrated more empathy than surgicalbased (M=44.32, SD=5.41); t (123) =-3.09, p=0.002. Those already specialised in their fields (M=47.38, SD=4.57) had more empathy than those who had not (M= 44.36, SD=6.52); t (123) =-2.96, p = 0.004. Doctors in the university (M=47.97, SD=4.31) tended to have more empathy than those in the public hospitals (M= 44.63, SD=6.27); t (117) =-2.91, p=0.004. Academicians had more empathy than non-academicians but there was no difference between those who were in clinical practice and not. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that medical-based doctors demonstrate more empathy than surgical-based doctors, and there appeared to be no correlation between age and empathy. However, clinical experience and growth within the specialty seem to improve empathy. Doctors teaching in the university setting demonstrated more empathy than those practicing in the hospital setting. Inclusion of empathy-related sessions in the undergraduate and post-graduate curriculum could bridge the gap in empathy noted with age, discipline, and experience in practice. Further research on empathy among doctors using a wider population in Malaysia and a TEQ questionnaire validated to the Asian population would provide better insight regarding this area of medical practice. Future research on outcomes of inclusion of programmes targeted at improving empathy to create awareness during practice would support patient satisfaction and safety.

Temperature measurement: Must it be the forehead? A prospective cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare temperature readings measured at the forehead and wrist against the tympanic temperature which is generally accepted as the standard. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study carried out on 325 people from the general population entering a private hospital for consultation or work. Forehead and wrist temperature was taken using the CEFC RoHS K3 model (China) and tympanic temperature using the Braun Thermoscan 7 Thermometer Irt6520 by the same investigator on consenting individuals. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the forehead (mean =36.6, standard deviation, SD=0.30) and tympanic (mean=36.6, SD=0.41), Z= -1.609, p=0.108. However, there was significant difference between the wrist (mean=36.4, SD= 0.28) and tympanic (mean=36.6, SD=0.41) temperature values, Z= -8.749, p<0.001, the former being lower. Temperature measured at forehead (mean=36.6, SD=0.30) was also significantly higher than the wrist (mean=36.4, SD=0.28), Z= -9.381, p<0.001. The wrist temperature values were lower than forehead and tympanic. CONCLUSION: Forehead temperature values are better representatives of the core temperature (tympanic) and be the preferred site of measurement compared to the wrist.

Bohring-opitz syndrome - A case of a rare genetic disorder.

The diagnostic challenge of Bohring-Opitz Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder has haunted clinicians for ages. Our patient was born at term via caesarean-section with a birth weight of 1.95 kilograms. She had mild laryngomalacia, gastroesophageal reflux disease and seizures. Physical signs included microcephaly, hemangioma, low set ears, cleft palate, micrognatia and the typical BOS posture. Chromosomal analysis showed 46 xx -Bohring-Opitz Syndrome overlapped with C- syndrome. Goal-directed holistic care with integration of parent/carer training was started very early. She succumbed to a Respiratory- Syncitial-Virus and Pseudomonas pneumonia complicated with sepsis at the age of two years and 11 months.