Is Professionalism Associated With Patient Safety Attitudes? Insights From a Cross-Sectional Study Among Medical Residents Publisher Pubmed



Raadabadi M ; Keshmiri F ; Gandomkar R
Source: BMC medical education Published:2026

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Patient safety is a fundamental component of healthcare quality, with professional commitment playing a key role in shaping safety-oriented attitudes and responsible clinical behavior. This study aimed to examine how professionalism is associated with different dimensions of patient safety attitudes among medical residents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 151 medical residents at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in Iran in 2021. Data were collected using the Medical Student Safety Attitudes and Professionalism Survey (MSSAPS). Descriptive statistics, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to assess the overall multivariate effect and linear regression analyses were used to examine the predictive role of professionalism on three key dimensions of patient safety attitudes, supported by model diagnostics. RESULTS: Out of the 160 questionnaires distributed, 151 were completed (response rate: 94.4%). The mean age was 30.42 years (SD = 5.90), 57.6% were female, and 59.6% were married. Among patient safety attitude dimensions, perceived experiences with professionalism scored highest (M = 3.40, SD = 0.70), while error disclosure culture scored lowest (M = 2.98, SD = 0.72). The initial MANOVA indicated a significant overall effect of professionalism on the combined safety attitude dimensions (Pillai's Trace = 0.091, p = 0.003). Linear regression showed a moderate, statistically significant association between professionalism and the culture of error disclosure (p = 0.002, η² = 0.060), a small-to-moderate effect on teamwork culture (p = 0.024, η² = 0.034), and no significant relationship with safety culture (p = 0.952). CONCLUSION: Professionalism among medical residents was associated with improved error disclosure attitudes and stronger teamwork. These findings highlight the importance of targeted training in professionalism, ethical communication, and structured error reporting, alongside organizational support, to enhance patient safety behaviors. © 2026. The Author(s).