Assessing the Impact of Demographics Factors on Healthcare Professionals’ Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The safeguarding of patients' rights is a fundamental aspect of healthcare that ensures ethical and respectful treatment. Healthcare professionals play a critical role in upholding these rights, which include informed consent, confidentiality, and the right to receive appropriate care. Objectives: This study evaluated the performance of healthcare professionals in safeguarding patients' rights at Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed, involving 130 healthcare professionals. Data on demographics (age, gender, marital status, occupation, and education) were collected. Performance was assessed using a self-designed questionnaire. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, with a significance level set at less than 0.05. Results: Participants had a mean age of 29.42 years, were predominantly female (59.2%), with most being single (56.2%) and holding bachelor's degrees (61.5%). The average performance score was 8.38 out of a maximum score, indicating moderate performance. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in scores based on demographic variables (P > 0.05), despite trends suggesting higher scores among females and medical doctors. Conclusions: The findings indicated that demographic factors do not significantly impact healthcare professionals' performance in safeguarding patients' rights. This underscores the necessity for targeted training and policy interventions to enhance the understanding and implementation of patient rights within healthcare settings.