Navigation Links
Don't tell mother she has cancer
Date:11/1/2007

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 1 When family members ask physicians not to disclose bad news to ill loved ones, clinicians often struggle to balance their obligation to be truthful to the patient with the familys belief that the information would be harmful. To help clinicians more successfully manage these conflicts, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in collaboration with colleagues at Stanford University, have developed an approach based on negotiation skills and described in the Nov. 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

While the topic of patient nondisclosure raises many ethical questions, these situations are too often thought of as dilemmas in which one party must win and the other must lose, said Robert M. Arnold, M.D., study co-author and professor of palliative care and medical ethics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. We propose that by understanding the cultural factors that underlie divergent points of views and the use of skillful negotiation techniques, a balanced solution can be reached that satisfies all parties the patient, family and physician.

Although clinicians in the U.S. often view requests for nondisclosure as contrary to common medical ethics and norms of clinical practice, many families and patients, nonetheless, do not want bad news disclosed. Family members, who may have the patients best interests at heart, may believe that the patient would give up hope if given the news. These requests put physicians in difficult situations in which they feel as though the patient has a right to know, yet the family is adamant that the patient not be told," said Dr. Arnold.

Because a physician may feel as though he or she is being asked to do something unethical, it is common to overreact to a nondisclosure request, according to Dr. Arnold. A common mistake is to respond to a nondisclosure request with a categorical, We cant do that, he said. By over-reacting in this manner, h
'/>"/>

Contact: Clare Collins
CollCX@upmc.edu
412-647-3555
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Source:Eurekalert

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2

Related medicine news :

1. Heart disease correlation to periodontal disease
2. WBC linked with periodontitis
3. Mothers with periodontitis may deliver premature babies
4. Periodontitis a common problem in patients with arthritis
5. Diabetics prone to periodontitis
6. Periodontal disease may amass the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes
7. Periodontal disease and oral cancer may be linked
8. New Insight In Periodontal Disease In Postmenopausal Women
9. Men More Likely To Lose Teeth To Periodontal Disease
10. Drugs Used In Osteoporosis Can Help Prevent Periodontal Bone Loss
11. Poor more prone to severe Periodontal Disease
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Breaking Medicine Technology:Perrigo Confirms Filing for Generic Version of Clobex(R) Spray and Announcement of Lawsuit by Galderma and Dermalogix 2Perrigo Confirms Filing for Generic Version of Clobex(R) Spray and Announcement of Lawsuit by Galderma and Dermalogix 3Repligen Reports Phase 3 Clinical Trial Results of RG1068 in Pancreatic Imaging 2Repligen Reports Phase 3 Clinical Trial Results of RG1068 in Pancreatic Imaging 3Repligen Reports Phase 3 Clinical Trial Results of RG1068 in Pancreatic Imaging 4Springer launches SpringerImages 9172 1Springer launches SpringerImages 9172 2Improving Care for Cardiac Patients is Centerpiece of American Society of Nuclear Cardiology Meeting 51101 1Improving Care for Cardiac Patients is Centerpiece of American Society of Nuclear Cardiology Meeting 51101 2American Optometric Association Supports New Federal Health Report Findings 3A Vision Screening Methods for Seniors are Lacking 51097 1American Optometric Association Supports New Federal Health Report Findings 3A Vision Screening Methods for Seniors are Lacking 51097 2American Optometric Association Supports New Federal Health Report Findings 3A Vision Screening Methods for Seniors are Lacking 51097 3
Other Medicine Technology:Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Positive Phase I and Phase,II Data on KRX-0401 in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple,Myeloma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia 2Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Positive Phase I and Phase,II Data on KRX-0401 in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple,Myeloma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia 3Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Positive Phase I and Phase,II Data on KRX-0401 in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple,Myeloma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia 4Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Positive Phase I and Phase,II Data on KRX-0401 in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple,Myeloma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia 5Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Positive Phase I and Phase,II Data on KRX-0401 in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple,Myeloma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia 6Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Positive Phase I and Phase,II Data on KRX-0401 in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Multiple,Myeloma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia 7RTA 402 Shown to Protect Animals Against Toxicities of Standard,Cancer Treatments 2RTA 402 Shown to Protect Animals Against Toxicities of Standard,Cancer Treatments 3