Original Research Article DOI: 10.18231/2455-6785.2016.

0004

Awareness about Consumer Protection Act among patients visiting a private dental
institute at Dharwad: A Descriptive study
Arora Abhas1, Chetan J.2,*, Preetha J Shetty3, Madhushree Das4, Sarfaraz Hassan5
1Senior Lecturer, 2,5Assistant Professor, 3Professor, 4Post Graduate, Dept. of SDM College of Dental Science and Hospital,
Dharwad, Karnataka

*Corresponding Author:
Email: chetanjagadish43@gmail.com

Abstract
Objectives: To assess the knowledge regarding CPA among patients visiting a private dental institution at Dharwad.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was carried out on 400 patients visiting a private dental college at Dharwad and the
data was collected through an interview based questionnaire consisting of 13 closed ended questions on CPA. Statistical analysis
was done using Chi-square test.
Results: 62% of the study participants have heard about CPA, but only 30% knew that dental services are applicable under CPA
and in case of medical service fault/error, 54% participants would visit police station. 80% of the participants don’t even know the
location of consumer court. And many patients think that to approach consumer court they will have to pay fees and hire a lawyer.
Conclusion: Knowledge of patients regarding CPA is low. Instead of going to lawyer or consumer court, more than half of the
study population would prefer to go to police station. This shows that despite of presence of such benefical legislation people are
unaware of it. Doctor’s tries to provide best services to their patient but still sometimes their negligence can cause an injury to
patient. If people becomes more aware of their rights and legislations this would improve the quality of services.

Keywords: Consumer protection act, Knowledge, Awareness, Dentist, Patient.

Introduction profession, hospitals, dispensaries, nursing homes, and

Medical profession is considered as a most noble other health care related services.(3) This act empowers
profession all over the world. Doctors of the past were the patient to file law-suits (in case of perceived
treated like God and people respected and had faith in negligence) against the concerned doctor/dentist in
them. In earlier days whatever was given, prescribed, consumer courts.
ordered or done by the doctor was accepted by the patient Six basic rights were given to consumers, under this
without any doubt or suspicion. If any complication or Act to get themselves redressed by the Consumer Forum.
undesirable side effect resulted, it was accepted by all The given rights are (1) Right to safety (2) Right to
concerned. Now the circumstances have changed information (3) Right to choose (4) Right to be heard (5)
altogether. The doctor-patient relationship has Right to be redressed (6) Right to education and these
undergone a transition in the past few decades. Because rights can be exercised in the Consumer Forum if
of sustained campaign in media and also due to something goes against the rights of consumers. CPA has
malpractice by some doctors, faith is being replaced by been formulated to be customer friendly, as there is no
suspicion. Health professionals are increasingly viewed court fee payment, the person can plead their own case,
as just providers of service for consideration. The and the decision is taken within 3–6 months.
number of medical errors are increasing day by day.(1) There are several studies in the literature that have
According to a report by WHO 1 in 10 subjects suffer assessed knowledge about CPA among healthcare
iatrogenic diseases.(2) Monetary gains have led to the professional but no such study is done among the
deterioration in the standard of patient care. patients or general public. Since this act is formulated
A doctor owes a certain duties towards his patient only for the benefit of consumers so it is important to
and a breach of any of these duties gives a cause of action find out whether people are aware of such legislation.
of negligence against the doctor. Mistakes occur in every Hence this study was undertaken to find the awareness
profession, as it does in life. Unfortunately, in the health among the patients regarding CPA.
profession mistakes could result in serious consequences
for the patient and which in turn may lead the patient to Materials and Methods
seek help from a legally competent body. The present study was a Cross-sectional survey
In India, earlier (before 1995) the remedy for carried out in SDM college of Dental Science and
medical negligence was available only under the Law of Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka, India.
Tort, the aggrieved patients did not have any effective Study Population: The study subjects comprised of
adjudicative body for getting their grievances redressed. adult population of 18 years age and above attending the
Finally, it was on 13th November 1995 that the out-patient department of SDM college of Dental
honorable Supreme Court of India delivered judgment Science and Hospital. A total of 330 patients were
on application of CPA (1986) to the medical/dental interviewed.
Indian Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Research, October-December 2016;2(4):149-153 149
Chetan J. et al. Awareness about Consumer Protection Act among patients visiting a private dental……..

Ethical approval: The ethical clearance for the present 50-59 35 10.6
study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board 60 and above 22 6.7
of SDM College of Dental Sciences & Hospital, Total 330 100
Dharwad. Among 330 subjects, 32% were belonging to age
Criteria for selection of participants group of 18 to 29 years. Followed by 28% from 30 to 39
Inclusion Criteria: years, 22% from 40 to 49 years, 11% from 50 to 59 years
 People who were above 18 years of age. whereas least number of subjects (7%) from age group
 Those who were willing to participate in the study of 60 and above.
and gave informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria: Table 2: Gender wise distribution of subjects
 People who refused to participate in the study. Gender No. of Percentage
 People who could not comprehend the questions of subjects
the study despite the assistance. Male 195 59.1
Female 135 40.9
Pilot Study for calculating study sample and Pre- Total 330 100
testing of Questionnaire: A pilot study was conducted
on 30 subjects to determine the sample size and also to Graph 1: Education wise distribution of study
check the reliability of the questionnaire. The subjects
questionnaire was first prepared in English language and
later translated to Kannada (local language). The
Kannada version was again translated back to English to
check for language reliability. The reliability analysis of
the questionnaire was done using Split half reliability.
After doing the calculation the agreement revealed that
the reliability was 0.8692 and the sample size of 330 was
obtained.
Sampling selection: The study participants were
randomly selected who visited the college.
Research tool: The data was collected with the help of
structured questionnaire through interview by a single
researcher. The questionnaire consisted of 13 questions. In the study the graduates constituted the maximum
The questionnaire was based on knowledge and number (27%) followed by those who have Master’s
awareness of dentists about Consumer Protection act. degree (20%). The illiterates (6%) and subjects who
Confidentiality was maintained throughout the whole studied primary school (5%) were least in number.
process of collection of data and its analysis.
Statistical analysis: After collection of data, the data Table 3: Response of subjects to various questions
was entered in Microsoft excel 2010, The data was regarding COPRA
analyzed using SPSS version 11 software. Descriptive Question regarding Yes No Don’t
statistics were obtained and percentage distribution of CPA (%) (%) know
responses to questions were calculated. The individual (%)
scores were summed up to yield a total score. The Heard about Consumer 62.12 37.88
participant’s total score was a simple sum of responses. Protection Act
Categorization of scores was done at three levels—low CPA is only applicable 18.8 32.7 48.5
(0–4), medium (5-8) and high (9–12). The Mann for goods (or
Whitney U test and Chi-square test were used as tests of commodities) that are
significance for statistical evaluation. The significance purchased
was set at P<0.05. CPA is applicable to 36.41 9.39 54.2
medical services
Results CPA is applicable to 30.6 12.4 57
dental services
Table 1: Distribution of study subjects according to Doctors providing 23.6 20.3 56.1
age groups treatment for free are
Age groups (in years) No. of Percentage liable under CPA
subjects Doctors who take fee for 36.66 9.69 54.24
18-29 104 31.5 the services they provide
30-39 94 28.5 are liable under CPA
40-49 75 22.5

Indian Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Research, October-December 2016;2(4):149-153 150

Chetan J. et al. Awareness about Consumer Protection Act among patients visiting a private dental……..

Do you have to pay any 14.24 23.64 61.82 commodities) that are
purchased
fees to file complain in
CPA applicable to 2.075 0.979 102.743 0.000
consumer court medical services *
Can you file (or pled) a 30 17.27 52.42
complaint without the CPA applicable to 7.071 0.529 91.255 0.000
presence of a lawyer dental services *
Aware of location of 20.91 79.09 Doctors providing 3.330 0.912 91.124 0.000
Consumer court treatment for free are *
Consumer court gives 35.75 6.96 56.66 liable under CPA
speedy redressal than Doctors who take fee 3.842 0.871 100.137 0.000
for the services they *
civil court provide are liable
under CPA
Table 4: Showing responses of study subjects Have to pay any fees 12.562 0.128 53.516 0.000
according to gender to file complain in *
consumer court
Males females Can you file a 7.237 0.511 98.342 0.000
Questions Yes No Don’t Yes No Don’t
complaint without the *
know know
Heard about 71.28 28.71 48.8 51.11
presence/hiring of a
Consumer lawyer
Protection Act Time limit to a file a 15.786 0.201 44.961 0.000
CPA is only 20 38.9 41 17.03 23.7 59.2 complain against *
meant for concerned doctor
goods (or Aware of location of 5.652 0.227 32.944 0.000
commodities)
neariest /nearby *
that are
purchased Consumer court
CPA 36.41 13.33 50.25 22.22 11.11 66.66 Location of consumer 19.954 0.068 118.740 0.000
applicable to court at different *
medical levels
services Consumer court 9.300 0.318 94.553 0.000
CPA provides speedy *
applicable to
redressal as compared
dental services
Doctors 28.71 22.05 49.23 16.29 17.77 65.92
to consumer court
providing From the above table it is clear that all the question
treatment for showed statistical significance with education whereas
free are liable
under CPA no question had association with age.
Doctors who 44.61 7.69 47.69 23.7 12.59 44.1
take fee for the
services they Graph 2: Grading/categorization of study
provide are participants on the basis scores (low/ medium /high)
liable under
CPA
Have to pay 18.97 27.17 53.84 7.4 18.51 74.07
any fees to file
complain in
consumer court
Can you file a 32.3 25.12 42.56 26.66 5.92 67.4
complaint
without the
presence/hirin
g of a lawyer
Location of 30.76 69.23 6.66 93.33
Consumer
court
Consumer 43.58 8.2 48.2 25.18 5.18 69.62
court gives
speedy
redressal than
civil court

Of the total 330 subjects, majority (60%) had low

Table 5: Shows various questions and their level of
level of knowledge (scored 0-4), 32% had moderate level
significance with the age and education of subjects
Questions Age Education
(scored 5-8)and only 6% have high level of knowledge
Chi p- Chi p- (scored 9 and above).
square value square value
Heard about 4.872 0.301 122.044 0.000
Consumer Protection *
Act
CPA is only meant 4.078 0.850 112.898 0.000
for goods (or *

Indian Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Research, October-December 2016;2(4):149-153 151

Chetan J. et al. Awareness about Consumer Protection Act among patients visiting a private dental……..

Graph 3: Gender wise comparison of knowledge among study subjects was low. 62% of the study
regarding CPA participants have heard about CPA but only one-third
(30%) of the study population were aware of the fact that
CPA is applicable to dental services also. Majority of
the subjects thought that consumer protection act is only
applicable to goods or commodities that are purchased.
The knowledge about CPA was higher in males than
females. This finding was contradictory with the results
of study done by Prasad S et al.(4) It may be because the
study population had the same occupation (all were
dental professionals). Whereas in the present study
people of different occupation were included so this may
be the reason for unmatched findings. Common man are
more indulged in business that is selling and purchasing
of goods so that could be one of the reason they were
The number of males (8.2%) with high level of more aware about CPA than females.
knowledge was greater than the males (2.22%) whereas The present study found that subjects with higher
the number of females (71%) with low level of education (graduates and post-graduates) were more
knowledge were more than male (51%). aware about CPA as compared to those who were
illiterates or who studied till high school only. This
Graph 4: Education wise comparison of knowledge finding is similar to the findings of the study by Prasad
regarding CPA et al(4) where post graduates were more aware than
undergraduates. This may be attributed to the fact that
with the increase in knowledge, awareness also
increases.
It was also surprising to note that majority of the
participants said that in case of medical negligence they
would report to the police station instead of approaching
lawyer or to consumer court. This shows that even after
21 years of its enactment CPA has not gained its due
importance among the general population. This can be
attributed to lack of publicity on consumer protection
act.
In the present study none of the subjects knew
From the above graph it is clear that illiterates and correct time limit within which patient can sue the
people who studied till matric and below had low level concerned doctor.
of knowledge regarding CPA. People having Moderate Only 20% of participants knew that if they were
level of knowledge were greatest in graduates group. given free treatment and later if any complication arises
And people with high level of knowledge were greatest because of treatment then in such cases they cannot
in post-graduates. lodge a complaint against the concerned doctor in
consumer forum.
Discussion Data reported in this study cannot be generalized
Negligence in the medical world has assumed great because of smaller sample size were selected into study.
importance in relation to the medical malpractices suits. Further research studies on a larger sample taking
To safeguard the interests of consumers, countries general public and for a longer period are required for
worldwide have developed Consumer protection better understanding the knowledge of people regarding
organizations. Health care services, whenever purchased consumer protection act.
by receivers are also expected to provide consumer
satisfaction. Conclusion
The enactment of the Consumer Protection Act, The present study results revealed that majority of
1986, is a milestone in the history of socio-economic the study population were aware of consumer protection
legislation in India. It provides protection to the rights of act. But there knowledge on CPA was low. Only one-
consumers and redressal of consumer disputes. third of study population knew that CPA is also
Healthcare profession was included within its ambit in applicable to dentistry.
1995. Males had significantly more knowledge on CPA
This study is the one of first to assess the knowledge when compared to females.
about CPA among the patients. The present study Also subjects with higher education (graduates and
revealed that knowledge about consumer protection act post-graduates) were more aware about CPA as
Indian Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Research, October-December 2016;2(4):149-153 152
Chetan J. et al. Awareness about Consumer Protection Act among patients visiting a private dental……..

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