Awareness Regarding Medicolegal Aspects of Medical Services Among Reproductive Age Women: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: The government has implemented various laws to regulate medical practice and improve the quality of health care services. This study evaluated the general population's awareness of various medicolegal aspects related to the medical profession.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Knowledge of laws and ethics related to medical practice was assessed based on a well-structured questionnaire including 25 items. Women were categorized based on their score into low (below 50th percentile), medium (50th -75th percentile), and high (above 75th percentile) awareness.
Results: A total of 334 women were recruited. The mean age of the women in the study was 30.29 +/- 6.58 SD years; most women were between 20-30 (56.28%). Most women were graduates (33.23%), followed by postgraduates (29.04%). The majority of women were unemployed (housewives: 64.67%, students: 4.49%), followed by skilled workers (22.75%), semi-professional, and professionals (8.08%). High awareness about the various medicolegal aspects was seen in 25.1% of women, while 29.04% had medium awareness and 45.80% had low awareness. It was also seen that the women with higher education(p=0.002) and those employed (0.001) had better knowledge. Further, graduate housewives had better awareness than non-graduate housewives.
Conclusion: Education and self-independence significantly affected awareness of medicolegal issues among our women. Assuring the right to education and empowering women with self-independence will go a long way in ensuring active participation in medical decision-making.