{
  "abstract": "Background and Aims Empathy is one of the main determinants of the patient-physician relationship, especially in the assessment of subjective clinical findings such as pain. Empathic physicians have been shown to provide more reliable and effective pain management in the literature. However, how physicians’ personal pain perception, self-care behaviors and their approach to the patient‘s statement reflect on their empathy levels has not been sufficiently investigated. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between personal pain perception, empathy level and trust in patient statement in physicians who actively deal with pain and to reveal the factors affecting these constructs.Methods In a cross-sectional study conducted online with 192 physicians directly involved in pain management, the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ), Jefferson Empathy Scale and structured questions were administered. Participants’ demographic data, attitudes towards pain, self-care approaches and levels of trust in patient statements were analyzed. Data were evaluated by correlation, group comparisons and multiple regression analyses.Results Empathy level showed a significant positive relationship with trust in patient statement (ρ = 0.47, p < 0.001). Female gender and interventional treatment were significant factors that increased the level of empathy. Professional experience showed a significant positive association with trust in patient statement (ρ = 0.39, p < 0.001). No significant relationship was found between pain threshold and empathy. Physicians who did not care about their own pain had lower levels of empathy (p = 0.024).Abstract OP40 Figure 1Physicians’ attitudes towards their own painAbstract OP40 Figure 2Empathy scores by attitude towards own painConclusions This study shows that the level of empathy is more related to trust in patient statement, self-awareness and professional attitudes than to biological pain sensitivity. Lack of self-care may negatively affect empathic capacity. The findings point to the need to consider empathy not only as an individual trait but also as a clinical competence that needs to be developed educationally and structurally.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Hasekİ Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey"
      ],
      "name": "Alİ Hüseyİn Demİr"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Hasekİ Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey"
      ],
      "name": "Hüseyİn Cevahİr İncİrcİ"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Hasekİ Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey"
      ],
      "name": "İlke DolĞun"
    }
  ],
  "title": "OP40 Personal pain perception, patient empathy and trust attitudes in physicians actively interested in pain: a questionnaire-based cross-sectional study",
  "uid": "f9a5df9e-1515-5454-9ce4-abd0075822d6"
}