Investigating The Impact of Physicians' Attitudes Towards Death And Their Demographic Factors On Disclosure Of Bad News To Cancer Patients

Background: This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of physicians towards death and cancer patients as well as to examine the relationship between physicians' demographic variables, their death anxiety, their attitudes and avoidance behavior towards informing patients about their diagnos...

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Main Authors: Saba Ebrahimian, Masoomeh Karimi, Danial Fazilatpanah, Dariush Moslemi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: ACHSM 2024-12-01
Series:Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.achsm.org.au/index.php/achsm/article/view/3139
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author Saba Ebrahimian
Masoomeh Karimi
Danial Fazilatpanah
Dariush Moslemi
author_facet Saba Ebrahimian
Masoomeh Karimi
Danial Fazilatpanah
Dariush Moslemi
author_sort Saba Ebrahimian
collection DOAJ
description Background: This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of physicians towards death and cancer patients as well as to examine the relationship between physicians' demographic variables, their death anxiety, their attitudes and avoidance behavior towards informing patients about their diagnoses, and physicians' opinions about the necessity of education on how to approach patients with terminal illness. Methods: The study involved 90 physicians who completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic information, the Death Anxiety Scale, and a 21-item questionnaire prepared by the authors to evaluate physicians' attitudes.  Results: The results showed that 87.8% of the physicians believed that patients had the right to be informed of their diagnoses and disease condition completely. However, only 52.2% of the physicians accepted that the diagnosis should be announced. Moreover, when the patient was a physician themselves with cancer, 94.4% of the physicians agreed that they prefer to be informed about the diagnosis and survival. This ratio decreased to 56.7% when the patient was a physician's relative. Additionally, 94.4% of the physicians (n=287) agreed that education on how to approach death and cancer patients should be given during or after medical education. The responses to the questionnaire differed according to the variables of death anxiety, practice area, gender, and marital status. Conclusion: According to the results, this paper shows the importance of the socio-demographic factors and the physicians attitude toward dealing with patients and giving bad news, and try to unify it by using a written training program in dealing with patients and giving bad news and reducing the effect of individual factors of physicians in dealing with Patients.
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spelling doaj-art-1cb48fd237fa4b1fbe42c9e357aa7c2b2025-08-20T02:51:12ZengACHSMAsia Pacific Journal of Health Management1833-38182204-31362024-12-0119310.24083/apjhm.v19i3.3139Investigating The Impact of Physicians' Attitudes Towards Death And Their Demographic Factors On Disclosure Of Bad News To Cancer PatientsSaba Ebrahimian0Masoomeh Karimi1Danial Fazilatpanah2Dariush Moslemi3Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, IranDepartment of Radiology and Radiation Therapy, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, IranCancer Research Center, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, IranBabol University of Medical Sciences Babol, Iran Background: This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of physicians towards death and cancer patients as well as to examine the relationship between physicians' demographic variables, their death anxiety, their attitudes and avoidance behavior towards informing patients about their diagnoses, and physicians' opinions about the necessity of education on how to approach patients with terminal illness. Methods: The study involved 90 physicians who completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic information, the Death Anxiety Scale, and a 21-item questionnaire prepared by the authors to evaluate physicians' attitudes.  Results: The results showed that 87.8% of the physicians believed that patients had the right to be informed of their diagnoses and disease condition completely. However, only 52.2% of the physicians accepted that the diagnosis should be announced. Moreover, when the patient was a physician themselves with cancer, 94.4% of the physicians agreed that they prefer to be informed about the diagnosis and survival. This ratio decreased to 56.7% when the patient was a physician's relative. Additionally, 94.4% of the physicians (n=287) agreed that education on how to approach death and cancer patients should be given during or after medical education. The responses to the questionnaire differed according to the variables of death anxiety, practice area, gender, and marital status. Conclusion: According to the results, this paper shows the importance of the socio-demographic factors and the physicians attitude toward dealing with patients and giving bad news, and try to unify it by using a written training program in dealing with patients and giving bad news and reducing the effect of individual factors of physicians in dealing with Patients. https://journal.achsm.org.au/index.php/achsm/article/view/3139Death, Anxiety, Physician, Cancer, Socio-Demographic Factors.
spellingShingle Saba Ebrahimian
Masoomeh Karimi
Danial Fazilatpanah
Dariush Moslemi
Investigating The Impact of Physicians' Attitudes Towards Death And Their Demographic Factors On Disclosure Of Bad News To Cancer Patients
Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management
Death, Anxiety, Physician, Cancer, Socio-Demographic Factors.
title Investigating The Impact of Physicians' Attitudes Towards Death And Their Demographic Factors On Disclosure Of Bad News To Cancer Patients
title_full Investigating The Impact of Physicians' Attitudes Towards Death And Their Demographic Factors On Disclosure Of Bad News To Cancer Patients
title_fullStr Investigating The Impact of Physicians' Attitudes Towards Death And Their Demographic Factors On Disclosure Of Bad News To Cancer Patients
title_full_unstemmed Investigating The Impact of Physicians' Attitudes Towards Death And Their Demographic Factors On Disclosure Of Bad News To Cancer Patients
title_short Investigating The Impact of Physicians' Attitudes Towards Death And Their Demographic Factors On Disclosure Of Bad News To Cancer Patients
title_sort investigating the impact of physicians attitudes towards death and their demographic factors on disclosure of bad news to cancer patients
topic Death, Anxiety, Physician, Cancer, Socio-Demographic Factors.
url https://journal.achsm.org.au/index.php/achsm/article/view/3139
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