Association between religious and socio‐economic background of parents of children with solid tumors and DNR orders. Issue 2 (12th August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hileli, Inbal; Weyl Ben Arush, Myriam; Hakim, Fahed; Postovsky, Sergey
• Is Part Of: Pediatric blood & cancer. Volume 61:Issue 2(2014:Feb.)
• Page Start: 265
• Page End: 268
• Publication Date: 2013-08-12
• Subjects: Tumors in children -- Periodicals; Blood -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Cancer in children -- Periodicals; 618.92
• DOI: 10.1002/pbc.24712
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1545-5009

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="pbc24712-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>The influence of socio‐economic and religious background on decisions made by parents of children with incurable cancer regarding DNR orders is not fully understood.</p> </sec> <sec id="pbc24712-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Procedure</title> <p>A retrospective analysis of medical charts of patients who died between January 2000 and January 2011 was performed. The following data were sought: written evidence of DNR discussion with parents, religious background, educational level, monthly income.</p> </sec> <sec id="pbc24712-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>There was evidence of a discussion on DNR in 73/90 charts. DNR consent was obtained in 14/17 (82.4%) cases where at least one parent had >15 years of education versus in only 24/45 (53.3%) cases where both parents had ≤15 years education as determined by univariate analysis (<italic>P</italic> = 0.03). DNR consent was also more likely to be obtained among parents of children with income >10, 000 NIS (24/30, 80.0% vs. 20/38, 52.6%, <italic>P</italic> = 0.013). Parents of Jewish (22/30, 73.3%), Islamic (16/26, 61.5%), and Christian (8/9, 88.9%) background were equally likely to provide DNR consent. However, Druze families were less likely to do so (2/8, 25.0%, <italic>P</italic> = 0.036).</p> </sec> <sec id="pbc24712-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>The process of decision‐making to a DNR request was associated with parents' educational level and monthly family income, and not by religious background, with the exception of Druze families. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:265–268. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.</p> </sec> </abstract>