Document Detail


Religious and spiritual beliefs of gynecologic oncologists may influence medical decision making.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21436706     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
BACKGROUND: Religious (R) and spiritual (S) beliefs often affect patients' health care decisions, particularly with regard to care at the end of life. Furthermore, patients desire more R/S involvement by the medical community; however, physicians typically do not incorporate R/S assessment into medical interviews with patients. The effects of physicians' R/S beliefs on willingness to participate in controversial clinical practices such as medical abortions and physician-assisted suicide has been evaluated, but how a physician's R/S beliefs may affect other medical decision-making is unclear.
METHODS: Using SurveyMonkey, an online survey tool, we surveyed 1972 members of the International Gynecologic Oncologists Society and the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists to determine the R/S characteristics of gynecologic oncologists and whether their R/S beliefs affected their clinical practice. Demographics, religiosity, and spirituality data were collected. Physicians were also asked to evaluate 5 complex case scenarios.
RESULTS: : Two hundred seventy-three (14%) physicians responded. Sixty percent "agreed" or "somewhat agreed" that their R/S beliefs were a source of personal comfort. Forty-five percent reported that their R/S beliefs ("sometimes," "frequently," or "always") play a role in the medical options they offered patients, but only 34% "frequently" or "always" take a R/S history from patients. Interestingly, 90% reported that they consider patients' R/S beliefs when discussing end-of-life issues. Responses to case scenarios largely differed by years of experience, although age and R/S beliefs also had influence.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that gynecologic oncologists' R/S beliefs may affect patient care but that most physicians fail to take an R/S history from their patients. More work needs to be done to evaluate possible barriers that prevent physicians from taking a spiritual history and engaging in discussions over these matters with patients.
Authors:
Lois Ramondetta; Alaina Brown; Gwyn Richardson; Diana Urbauer; Premal H Thaker; Harold G Koenig; Jacalyn B Gano; Charlotte Sun
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural    
Journal Detail:
Title:  International journal of gynecological cancer : official journal of the International Gynecological Cancer Society     Volume:  21     ISSN:  1525-1438     ISO Abbreviation:  Int. J. Gynecol. Cancer     Publication Date:  2011 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-03-25     Completed Date:  2011-08-16     Revised Date:  2012-04-04    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9111626     Medline TA:  Int J Gynecol Cancer     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  573-81     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Gynecologic Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. lramonde@mdanderson.org
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Attitude of Health Personnel*
Decision Making*
Female
Genital Neoplasms, Female / mortality,  psychology*,  therapy
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Physician's Practice Patterns*
Physician-Patient Relations
Quality of Life
Religion*
Religion and Medicine
Spirituality*
Suicide, Assisted
Young Adult
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
CA016672/CA/NCI NIH HHS; P30 CA016672-35/CA/NCI NIH HHS

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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