End-of-life decision making in Europe and Australia: a physician survey

Archives of Internal Medicine
Bregje D Onwuteaka-PhilipsenEuropean End-of-Life Consortium

Abstract

The frequencies with which physicians make different medical end-of-life decisions (ELDs) may differ between countries, but comparison between countries has been difficult owing to the use of dissimilar research methods. A written questionnaire was sent to a random sample of physicians from 9 specialties in 6 European countries and Australia to investigate possible differences in the frequencies of physicians' willingness to perform ELDs and to identify predicting factors. Response rates ranged from 39% to 68% (N = 10 139). Using hypothetical cases, physicians were asked whether they would (probably) make each of 4 ELDs. In all the countries, 75% to 99% of physicians would withhold chemotherapy or intensify symptom treatment at the request of a patient with terminal cancer. In most cases, more than half of all physicians would also be willing to deeply sedate such a patient until death. However, there was generally less willingness to administer drugs with the explicit intention of hastening death at the request of the patient. The most important predictor of ELDs was a request from a patient with decisional capacity (odds ratio, 2.1-140.0). Shorter patient life expectancy and uncontrollable pain were weaker predictors but were...Continue Reading

Citations

May 5, 2012·Health Care Analysis : HCA : Journal of Health Philosophy and Policy·Ruth Judith Horn
Jul 13, 2013·International Journal of Law and Psychiatry·Malcolm Parker
Apr 11, 2014·BMC Palliative Care·Lydi-Anne Vézina-ImMarianne Olivier-D'Avignon
Mar 11, 2009·BMC Public Health·Lieve Van den BlockLuc Deliens
Apr 18, 2012·PloS One·Marjolein GyselsUNKNOWN Project PRISMA
Oct 24, 2009·Journal of Critical Care·Sanjay Haresh ChotirmallNoel Gerard McElvaney
Dec 2, 2008·Journal of Pain and Symptom Management·Sebastiano MercadanteAlessandra Casuccio
Feb 7, 2008·Bioethics·Samuli I SaarniRitva Halila
May 27, 2010·Journal of Clinical Nursing·Sarah Yeun-Sim JeongMargaret McMillan
Jul 10, 2013·International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry·Carole ParsonsCarmel Hughes
Jun 2, 2012·Journal of Pain and Symptom Management·Livia AnquinetAgnes van der Heide
Feb 14, 2014·Death Studies·Sabrina Cipolletta, Nadia Oprandi
Dec 7, 2011·Palliative Medicine·Erin V W AndrewUNKNOWN PRISMA
Aug 1, 2009·Palliative Medicine·H DraperS Wilson
May 16, 2012·The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care·Chih-Yuan ShihTai-Yuan Chiu
Mar 8, 2007·The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics : a Journal of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics·Penney Lewis
Nov 14, 2008·Current Opinion in Critical Care·Alexandre LautretteElie Azoulay
Apr 21, 2018·BMC Medicine·Samia A HurstUNKNOWN Swiss Medical End-of-Life Decisions Study Group
Jun 22, 2020·BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care·Jodhi RutherfordBen P White
Oct 28, 2019·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Yolanda W H PendersUNKNOWN Swiss Medical End-of-Life Decisions Study Group
May 18, 2020·Supportive Care in Cancer : Official Journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer·So-Jung ParkIn Cheol Hwang
Dec 15, 2020·BMC Medical Ethics·Avi Zigdon, Rachel Nissanholtz-Gannot
Apr 24, 2008·The Medical Journal of Australia·Malcolm H ParkerGail M Williams
Dec 29, 2020·Advances in Medical Education and Practice·Iwona Kolodziejczyk, Jerzy Kuzma

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.