Ethical Decision Making About End-of-life Care Issues by Pediatric Oncologists in Economically Diverse Settings. Issue 4 (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sanchez Varela, Ana M.; Johnson, Liza-Marie; Kane, Javier R.; Kasow, Kimberly A.; Quintana, Yuri; Coan, April; Yuan, Ying; Barfield, Raymond; Church, Christopher; Hester, Micah; Baker, Justin N.
• Is Part Of: Journal of pediatric hematology/oncology. Volume 37:Issue 4(2015)
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: Pediatric hematology -- Periodicals; Tumors in children -- Periodicals; 618.9215
• DOI: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000000271
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1077-4114

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Purpose:</title> <p>Pediatric cancer represents 1% to 4% of all cancers worldwide, with the majority of diagnoses in developing countries where mortality remains much higher than that in high-income countries. We sought to describe differences in ethical decision-making at the end of life among an international sample of pediatric oncologists practicing in countries with a variety of income levels and resource settings.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Methods:</title> <p>Pediatric oncologists subscribing to an educational international oncology Web site were invited to complete a 38-item web-based survey investigating ethical domains related to end-of-life care: level of care, fiduciary responsibility, decision making, and justice.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Results:</title> <p>Responses were received from 401 physicians in 83 countries, with most respondents practicing in middle-income or high-income countries. Significant differences in attitudes toward ethical issues existed across the national developmental indices.</p> </sec> <sec> <title>Conclusions:</title> <p>Further education on ethical principles is warranted in pediatric oncology, particularly among oncologists practicing in low-income or middle-income countries.</p> </sec> </abstract>