Connaissances et pratiques vis-à -vis de la désignation de la personne de confiance au centre hospitalier de Cayenne (Guyane)

The notion of trustworthy person introduced in 1998, at the request of care givers and patients is now part of the 4th March 2002 Law. Ten years after its publication in the Code of public health, Cayenne General Hospital conducted an investigation about the knowledge and practices of caregivers and patients regarding the concept of trustworthy person. A knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practice (KABP) survey was carried out in Cayenne General Hospital. The study consisted in the concomitant interview of major patients hospitalized and health professionals employed at the time of the survey. The questions focused on the profile of respondents, practices and knowledge on the concept of trustworthy person. Four hundred and twenty-four persons (257 patients and 167 caregivers) were interviewed during this study. Of the 10 questions common to both questionnaires, half of the caregivers knew the details of the law, at least seven times out of 10 and half of the patients at least six times out of 10. In practice, less than one out of two patients reported hearing at the hospital about the opportunity to designate a trustworthy person. Twenty-eight percent of professionals surveyed said that people, who should propose patients to designate a trustworthy person, should be administrative persons. The results of this first survey about the trustworthy person as defined by the law confirmed the trend seen in other French hospitals. The lack of information dissemination about this law by professionals is a challenge to enable patients to give an informed choice.