0 avis
Truth disclosure at the end of life : a qualitative study of internal medicine residents in the United Arab Emirates
Article
Background: Respect for patient autonomy has become the guiding biomedical ethical tenet in the West; yet, moral values are contextual and culturally relevant. In the collectivist society of the Middle East, families and physicians have historically believed that concealing truth about a terminal illness is more ethical and compassionate. Recent studies reveal a trend toward truth disclosure.
Objective: To gain insight into resident experiences with, and barriers to, truth disclosure in terminally ill patients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted with first through fourth year internal medicine residents and recent graduates at two large academic medical centers in the UAE. Qualitative thematic content analysis was used to identify themes related to communication and truth telling in end-of-life care.
Results: Residents revealed that non-disclosure of medical information in serious illness is a common practice in UAE hospitals. Barriers to truth telling include family objection, deficits in medical training, and inconsistently implemented institutional guidelines.
Conclusion: Educational and policy interventions are needed to improve physician-patient communication, decrease patient-family-physician tension, and alleviate trainee moral distress.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/10499091211063820
Voir la revue «The American journal of hospice and palliative care, 39»
Autres numéros de la revue «The American journal of hospice and palliative care»
Consulter en ligne
Suggestions
Du même auteur
De la même série