Some patients feel a loss of dignity while receiving health care. Recognizing these feelings and taking corrective action can help patients cope better. The Sense of Dignity Score is a Likert scale that can help detect and monitor a patient's concerns about personal dignity.
Feelings associated with loss of dignity:
(1) shame
(2) degradation
(3) embarrassment
Sense of Loss of Dignity |
Frequency and Intensity of Feelings |
Concern to Patient |
Score |
none |
none |
none |
0 |
minimum |
occasionally some sense of loss of dignity |
not considered a problem |
1 |
mild |
occasionally some degree of shame, often low grade worry about loss of dignity |
occasionally regarded as a minor problem |
2 |
moderate |
most of the time has definite concerns, often may feel somewhat ashamed or degraded |
regarded as a significant problem |
3 |
strong |
most of the time has a clear sense of loss of dignity |
regarded as a prominent and ongoing problem |
4 |
severe |
almost always present; very frequently experiences feelings |
regarded as a troubling, serious and ongoing problem |
5 |
extreme |
virtually constant |
regarded as a pervasive, consuming and constant problem |
6 |
ICD-10: ,