The aim of the study was to assess the perceptions of moral sensitivity using the moral sensitivity questionnaire - revised (MSQ-R) and the ethical sensitivity using the Ethical Sensitivity Scale (ESS) and to analyse the relationship between ethical and moral sensitivity among physiotherapy students of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. India.
A cross-sectional study was performed among undergraduate physiotherapy students of various physiotherapy colleges of Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Data was collected using snowball sampling technique. Estimated sample size came to be 152. Demographic data, moral sensitivity using the Moral Sensitivity Scale- revised, (MSQ-R), and ethical sensitivity using the Ethical Sensitivity Scale (ESS) were assessed. MSQ-R is a self-reporting Likert-type questionnaire consisting of 9 items related to moral sensitivity in health care practice under three components. ESS has 28 questions measuring 7 dimensions of ethics. Descriptive analysis of the data obtained was done and correlation was found using Spearman's correlation coefficient using SPSS software. (IBM Statistics for windows, version 23.0, Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). Level of significance was kept at 5%.
Total 157 students voluntarily participated in the study. Seven students were from 1st year, 21 from 2nd year, 59 from 3rd year, 36 from final year and there were 34 interns. From these, there were 129 females and 27 males. Mean total score of MSQ-R was 44.01 ± 8.31. Mean Component scores of MSQ-R were found as - Moral burden: 18.5± 4.31; Moral responsibility: 15.11±3.15; Moral responsibility:10.39 ±1.93. The mean score of ESS was 106.43 + 26.72 points. The association between the sense of moral burden of MSQ-R and ethical sensitivity scale (total score) was r = 0.51, p 0.01 between moral strength from MSQ-R and ethical sensitivity (total score) was r = 0.54, p 0.01 and between moral responsibility of MSQ-R and ethical sensitivity (total score) was r= 0.43, p 0.01.
Moral sensitivity seems to be an interesting variable to be evaluated in physiotherapy and should be included in ethical related assessment of these students. Moderate correlation is seen between various components of moral sensitivity and ethical sensitivity. Ethical decision-making is influenced by moral strength, responsibility and burden.
Moral sensitivity can be evaluated in physiotherapy professionals of India. It should be included in ethical related assessment of these students. Ethical decision making is found to be influenced by moral strength, responsibility and burden. Future studies can be conducted to see if students would benefit if the curriculum involves ethics and moral education over the years.
ethical sensitivity
physiotherapy students
