Self-perceived clinical error: analysis from the health approach based on human rights in Mexico

Abstract

Introduction: The Human Rights-Based Approach to Health (HRBAH) in medical education requires efficient training and favorable conditions in order to train doctors. However, complaints about medical errors involving residents have been documented, so protecting the right to health of users and residents has been affected.

Objective: This paper aims to identify the factors related to self-perceived medical errors (diagnostic-therapeutic), risk and protection factors that occur due to lack of academic monitoring or because specialty medical residents, assigned to medical units in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, during the 2019-2020 academic year, lack of clinical skills.

Method: We used data collected by the Observatory of Medical Education and Human Rights of Universidad Veracruzana, in which the right to education, the right to health and the right to work in medical students, particularly those from both clinical specialty and 2019-2020 academic year, are considered. We conducted an analytic prevalence epidemiological study, for which we elaborated the Rate of Medical Errors (RME).

Results: The following factor were determined with the occurrence and increase of RME in 764 medical residents: lack of supervision of activities, number of weekly hours worked, type of hospital affiliation, type of specialty and the age, was observed. The conditions for the right to decent work increased the risk up to seven times when medical decisions were made without the supervision of the person in charge, as well as the increased risk for discriminatory treatment. Medical error is presented differently for men and women in some of the factors analyzed.

Conclusion: Medical errors decrease when the guarantee of the rights analyzed is greater. From the HRBAH perspective, it is essential to respect the right to education, work, and a decent life of medical residents in order to reduce medical errors. Finally, the incorporation of the gender perspective in the analysis and intervention for improvements in medical education is suggested.