Patient or client? Factors affecting the preferred term in rehabilitation settings

Research Objectives: The terms ‘patient’ or ‘client’ are utilized interchangeably, but a recent systematic review suggested that the term ‘patient’ is preferred; however, the type of medical settings where people prefer the term ‘patient’ was not clear. The purpose of this study was to explore people’s preferred term and the differences based on the clinic settings.

Design: Cross-sectional survey

Setting: Hospital and community-based outpatient clinics

Participants: Persons seeking rehab care in clinics run by medical doctors (MDs) and rehabilitation professionals (non-MDs)

Interventions: None

Main Outcome Measures: Preference for term ‘patient’ or ‘client’ to refer to themselves

Results: Ten and eight respondents were from the community- and hospital-based non-MD clinics respectively; rest were from the hospital-based MD clinic. Overall, 74% respondents filled out the survey themselves and 24% responses were completed by the caregivers on behalf of the patients. The mean age of the group was 58+/-18 years. 71% respondents preferred the term 'patient'; 22% respondents preferred client (7% had no preference). Regression analysis was done to see if any factors (age, clinic type, education level, immigration status, English as first language) predicted the choice of preferred term. Only clinic type (MD vs. non-MD) significantly predicted the preference for one vs. the other term (p < 0.05). Respondents were 14 times more likely to prefer the term ‘patient’ in MD clinics (13% preferred client; 83% preferred patient; 5% no preference). In the community-based clinics 44% each preferred 'client' and 'patient' (11% -no preference).

Conclusions: Persons receiving care in MD clinics prefer the term patient, whereas the non-MD clinics preference is evenly split.

Author(s) Disclosures: None