Our study revealed that the score of knowledge about PRs was affected by physicians’ age, gender, highest qualification, work position, work experience and average number of working hours. These findings disagreed with [1] who stated that physicians' awareness regarding patients' rights did not differ significantly between physicians of different age groups and gender. This difference can be explained that the more the age of the physician, the more to have post graduate studies and the more to have chance to get more knowledge about PRs. Also, the physician after M.D degree start to practice medicine in his/her private clinics and start to depend on him/herself when dealing with the patient without any assistance and this can stimulate them to increase their knowledge about both medical and ethical aspects while dealing with the patients.
Regarding physicians’ highest qualification and work position, our finding came consistent with [1] who stated that the awareness score of the physicians differed significantly according to their qualification with higher mean scores for those who obtained postgraduate studies in comparison with physicians with MBBCH degree only. This can be explained that healthcare staff with higher qualification has higher work position and more work experience.
Regarding physicians’ work experience, our finding came consistent with [14] who stated that the physicians' experience in medical practice is associated with higher awareness regarding patients' rights.
Patients’ opinion in physicians’ practice of PRs was affected by his/her gender, educational level and department of admission, but not affected by patients’ residence or LOS.
In term of patients’ gender and educational level, our findings were inconsistent with [4] who showed that there were no statistically significant relation between patients’ perspectives about PRs and his/her gender and educational level.
Also, our findings came against [15] who found that there was no statistically significant relation between practicing PRs and patient sex, educational level, place of residence.
As regarding gender, in our study male patients showed higher score of satisfaction about physicians practice of PRs than that of females, this can be explained that females usually seeks higher and better level of service.
As regarding educational level, our study showed that the higher the educational level of the patients, the more prone to higher level of adequate practicing of PRs. In general, more educated persons are more aware of their rights and as a result of that they will seek higher quality level of service.
In term of patients’ residence or LOS, our findings were in accordance [4] who showed that there was insignificant relation between patients’ perspectives about PRs and residence and hospital stay
In contrast, [15] revealed that there was statistically significant relation between practicing PRs (patient satisfaction) and duration of hospitalization.
It has been found that there was low level of practicing PRs (14.7% only shows an adequate score equal to or higher than 60%). These results agreed with,[9]. His study demonstrated that only 5.0% of physicians and nurses had good practice in Alexandria General University Hospital (AGUH) and 0.0% in Matrouh General Hospital (MGH), 42 % had moderate practice in AGUH versus 29% of physicians and nurses in MGH, and finally, 53% of physicians and nurses of the AGUH versus 71% in MGH had poor practice. [16] claimed that insufficient staffing, low salaries, negligence of the nurses’ rights, burn-out, long working hours, lack of performance standards in hospitals, and lack of enough equipment are the factors leading to poor observance of the patients’ rights. [17] found that hospital policy, equipment and supplies, health work environment, employer guideline and job description importantly affect practicing patients right. [18] discussed causes of low level of practice of PRs and found that it can be attributed mainly to lack of knowledge about PRs among patients and health care providers. Also, personnel dissatisfaction, insufficient number of health staff, and lack of necessary facilities in PHC centers are among the important obstacles in proper practicing of PRs.