Bioethics and humanization in the final stage of life: physicians’ view

Abstract

Aiming to identify physicians’ stand in face of life terminality, a survey carried out through a questionnaire, with closed and open questions, applied to physicians whose activity would involve terminally ill patients. The study was conducted in two hospitals institutions in Bauru/SP, Brazil. The results indicated that 70% of participating physicians informed the true diagnosis to the terminal patient, however, 80% did not clarify their life expectancy. Most physicians (90%) state adopting the emotional support on their patients, and 70% believe that palliative care improves quality of life of these patients, but only half (50%) reported to follow these caring. We conclude that physicians’ stand in relation to palliative care is fragmented, involving some difficulties with regard to the end of life, especially with respect to clarification and patients’ options, denoting the need to broaden the debate concerning the relationship between bioethics and life terminality

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