Assessment of patient expectations toward health professionals and quality of life among Płock (Poland) residents aged 55 and over: a cohort study

BackgroundThe right attitude of health professionals (mainly doctors) towards patients—particularly older ones—determines patients’ level of illness acceptance and quality of life. The aim of the study was to assess patient expectations of health professionals and quality of life among residents of Płock (Poland) aged 55 and over in relation to sociodemographic variables and to examine correlations between these patients’ expectations and their quality of life.MethodsThe study included 2040 adults aged 55 and over, with 68.9% being women. A diagnostic survey was used, incorporating sociodemographic questions and two standardized scales: the Patient Request Form (PRF) and the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). This cohort study utilized a multi-stage sampling method, with data collected through a diagnostic survey. Data analysis incorporated ANOVA, post-hoc Fisher’s LSD tests, and Pearson’s correlation to assess relationships between variables.ResultsStatistically significant differences were observed between male and female respondents in their expectations of health professionals. Women reported higher scores than men across all three PRF scales, including emotional support (4.85 vs. 4.35, p