Journal article
Internists' attitudes towards terminal sedation in end of life care
Journal of medical ethics, Vol.30(5), pp.499-503
10/2004
DOI: 10.1136/jme.2003.004895
PMCID: PMC1733924
PMID: 15467087
Abstract
Objective:
To describe the frequency of support for terminal sedation among internists, determine whether support for terminal sedation is accompanied by support for physician assisted suicide (PAS), and explore characteristics of internists who support terminal sedation but not assisted suicide.
Design:
A statewide, anonymous postal survey.
Setting:
Connecticut, USA.
Participants:
677 Connecticut members of the American College of Physicians.
Measurements:
Attitudes toward terminal sedation and assisted suicide; experience providing primary care to terminally ill patients; demographic and religious characteristics.
Results:
78% of respondents believed that if a terminally ill patient has intractable pain despite aggressive analgesia, it is ethically appropriate to provide terminal sedation (diminish consciousness to halt the experience of pain). Of those who favoured terminal sedation, 38% also agreed that PAS is ethically appropriate in some circumstances. Along a three point spectrum of aggressiveness in end of life care, the plurality of respondents (47%) were in the middle, agreeing with terminal sedation but not with PAS. Compared with respondents who were
less
aggressive or
more
aggressive, physicians in this middle group were more likely to report having more experience providing primary care to terminally ill patients (p = 0.02) and attending religious services more frequently (p<0.001).
Conclusions:
Support for terminal sedation was widespread in this population of physicians, and most who agreed with terminal sedation did not support PAS. Most internists who support aggressive palliation appear likely to draw an ethical line between terminal sedation and assisted suicide.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Internists' attitudes towards terminal sedation in end of life care
- Creators
- L Kaldjian - Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USAJ Jekel - Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USAJ Bernene - Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USAG Rosenthal - Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USAM Vaughan-Sarrazin - Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USAT Duffy - Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of medical ethics, Vol.30(5), pp.499-503
- Publisher
- BMJ Group
- DOI
- 10.1136/jme.2003.004895
- PMID
- 15467087
- PMCID
- PMC1733924
- ISSN
- 0306-6800
- eISSN
- 1473-4257
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/2004
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy; General Internal Medicine; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984063120902771
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