<i>What’s In A Name?</i> Establishing preferred terminology for patients in an Irish stroke unit

Abstract Background Health services around the globe are trending toward replacing the word ‘patient’ with less illness-specific terms, e.g. ‘survivor’, ‘service user’. However, data suggests ‘patient’ is still preferred across several groups. In accordance with the “Matter Most” domain of an Age-Friendly Health Systems approach, this study aimed to explore what term is favoured by inpatients on an acute stroke unit. Methods We performed a mixed-methods study. A survey was administered to inpatients on an acute stroke unit in a tertiary referral centre. Respondents ranked a list of seven potential terms in order of preference and commented on the reasons for their preference. We used mean rank of each term to determine its popularity. We performed thematic analysis on their comments to identify common reasons for their preference. Results Nineteen participants were included. Median age was 61. ‘Patient’ was the preferred term with a mean rank of 1.84. ‘Consumer’ was the least popular with mean ranking 5.32. Common themes were evident in the comments provided. ‘Patient’ was popular as the traditionally accepted term for someone accessing healthcare. Terms like ‘consumer’, ‘client’ and ‘service user’ were frequently dismissed as commercial and cold. ‘Survivor’ was the most polarising term, ranked last by more respondents than any other, but strongly endorsed by a small proportion of respondents. ‘Individual’ and ‘person’ generally evoked neutral responses, though some respondents appreciated them as universal, person-centred terms. Conclusion ‘Patient’ remains the preferred term for those who have experienced stroke in this single centre study. Survey respondents generally did not demonstrate strong feelings about terminology. Their clear preference of ‘patient’ suggests they are comfortable with it as a social norm. Future directions for this project are to conduct with similar analyses across other care settings and patient groups.