DefinePK

Abstract

Objective: To determine the knowledge regarding models, principles and theories of medical ethics among practicing doctors of a developing country.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted across one public and one private tertiary care hospital in Karachi. The study involved 200 practicing doctors, including those from academic, administrative, postgraduate training, and medical officer domains. Participants were enrolled using convenient sampling techniques, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire comprising demographic details and questions assessing knowledge of ethical models, principles, and theories. Informed consent was obtained before participation, ensuring confidentiality. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20, with chi-square tests applied to examine associations between knowledge levels and professional roles. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Among 200 participating doctors, only 17.5% reported knowledge of ethical principles, 11% understood ethical theories, and 13.5% were aware of physician–patient relationship models. Knowledge varied significantly across professional groups (p = 0.010), with administrative doctors reporting slightly higher awareness. Most respondents (63.5%) lacked knowledge, while 22% were uncertain. The paternalistic model was the most preferred physician–patient interaction style (46.5%), followed by the informative (28%), deliberative (14%), and interpretive (11.5%) models. These results highlight limited awareness of medical ethics and a strong inclination toward physician-led care, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted ethics education and training interventions.Conclusion: This study highlights a significant deficiency in medical ethics knowledge among doctors in Karachi, with a strong preference for the paternalistic model of care. These findings reflect cultural norms and inadequate ethics education, potentially limiting patient autonomy. Integrating structure bioethics training into medical curricula and professional development is essential to enhance ethical decision-making and align clinical practice with global standards. Strengthening ethics education will promote patient-centered care and improve the quality of healthcare delivery in Pakistan.