Patient-reported negative interpersonal experiences in Polish primary care and their association with healthcare avoidance: a large-scale cross-sectional study.

backgroundNegative interpersonal experiences in primary healthcare may undermine trust in physicians and continuity of care, yet population-level evidence linking such experiences to healthcare avoidance remains limited. This study, therefore, quantified the prevalence of such experiences in Polish primary care and examined their association with appointment cancellations.

methodsA large-scale, cross-sectional, quota-based online survey was conducted among 1,075 adults in Poland. Negative healthcare experiences and reasons for canceling medical appointments were summarized using two composite indices: the Index of Negative Healthcare Experiences (INHE; 0-14) and the Index of Reasons for Canceling Medical Appointments (IRCMA; 0-11). Associations with sociodemographic factors, trust in physicians, and satisfaction with care were analyzed.

resultsThe most frequently reported negative experiences were a lack of empathy (43.6%), long waiting times that adversely affected health (38.0%), and feeling ignored (37.6%). The mean INHE score was 4.2 ± 4.3 (median 3.0). Higher INHE scores were associated with lower trust in physicians (r = -.20) and lower satisfaction with current primary care physician services (r = -.22; both p < 0.001). Chronic disease (β = 0.235) and lower life satisfaction (β = -0.167) were the strongest predictors of negative experiences. The most commonly reported reasons for appointment cancellation were prior negative experiences with a physician (38.1%) and physician rudeness (36.3%).

conclusionsIn this large online sample, negative interpersonal experiences in primary care were common and were associated with lower trust in physicians and self-reported appointment cancellation.