The use of palliative sedation: A comparison of attitudes of French-speaking physicians from Quebec and Switzerland.

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State: Public
Version: Final published version
License: Not specified
It was possible to publish this article open access thanks to a Swiss National Licence with the publisher.
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UNIL restricted access
State: Public
Version: Final published version
License: Not specified
It was possible to publish this article open access thanks to a Swiss National Licence with the publisher.
Serval ID
serval:BIB_418C76570FBE
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
The use of palliative sedation: A comparison of attitudes of French-speaking physicians from Quebec and Switzerland.
Journal
Palliative and Supportive Care
Author(s)
Dumont S., Blondeau D., Turcotte V., Borasio G.D., Currat T., Foley R.A., Beauverd M.
ISSN
1478-9523 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1478-9515
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2015
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
13
Number
4
Pages
839-847
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Previous literature has suggested that laws and regulations may impact the use of palliative sedation. Our present study compares the attitudes of French-speaking physicians practicing in the Quebec and Swiss environments, where different laws are in place regarding physician-assisted suicide.
METHOD: Data were drawn from two prior studies, one by Blondeau and colleagues and another by Beauverd and coworkers, employing the same two-by-two experimental design with length of prognosis and type of suffering as independent variables. Both the effect of these variables and the effect of their interaction on Swiss and Quebec physicians' attitudes toward sedation were compared. The written comments of respondents were submitted to a qualitative content analysis and summarized in a comparative perspective.
RESULTS: The analysis of variance showed that only the type of suffering had an effect on physicians' attitudes toward sedation. The results of the Wilcoxon test indicated that the attitudes of physicians from Quebec and Switzerland tended to be different for two vignettes: long-term prognosis with existential suffering (p = 0.0577) and short-term prognosis with physical suffering (p = 0.0914). In both cases, the Swiss physicians were less prone to palliative sedation.
SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The attitudes of physicians from Quebec and Switzerland toward palliative sedation, particularly regarding prognosis and type of suffering, seem similar. However, the results suggest that physicians from Quebec could be slightly more open to palliative sedation, even though most were not in favor of this practice as an answer to end-of-life existential suffering.
Keywords
Attitude of Health Personnel, Deep Sedation/utilization, Euthanasia/psychology, Humans, Palliative Care/methods, Physicians/psychology, Prognosis, Qualitative Research, Quebec, Surveys and Questionnaires, Switzerland
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
09/01/2015 10:22
Last modification date
21/11/2022 8:25
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