Ángela Cejudo López1, Begoña López López2, Miguel Duarte Rodríguez3, María Pilar Crespo Serván4, Concepción Coronado Illescas5, Carlota de la Fuente Rodríguez6. 1. Centro de Salud Bellavista y Los Bermejales, Distrito Sanitario de Atención Primaria Sevilla, Sevilla, España. Electronic address: angelacjl@gmail.com. 2. Centro de Salud San Pablo, Distrito Sanitario de Atención Primaria Sevilla, Sevilla, España. 3. Centro de Salud El Cachorro, Distrito Sanitario de Atención Primaria Sevilla, Sevilla, España. 4. Centro de Salud Pino Montano B y San Jerónimo, Distrito Sanitario de Atención Primaria Sevilla, Sevilla, España. 5. Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Sevilla, Sevilla, España. 6. Unidad de Gestión clínica Quirófanos, Hospital de Jerez, Cádiz, España.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine why terminally-ill patients, family caregivers and health care providers make a pact of silence about the terminal status of the patient, and to identify the attitudes, experiences and opinions of family caregivers concerning the conspiracy of silence in palliative care. METHODS: A qualitative phenomenological study based on an interpretive analysis, conducted in Primary Health Care, Seville, Spain. Study dimensions: knowledge of the diagnosis and prognosis of the condition; disclosure of information; reaction to information received, feelings and approach to death; information disclosed to the patient and reasons behind partial disclosure; communication between patients, families, and health care providers. STUDY POPULATION: Family caregivers of patients on palliative care suspicious about a pact of silence. RESULTS: Family caregivers hamper professional-patient communication; use of deceit to conceal the truth; suspicion that the patient knows the truth; the clinician conceals the truth; paternalist attitudes; feelings of sadness, grief, resignation, acceptance of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The pact of silence has negative effects on coping with death, quality of life in the last days of life, and mourning. Communication between patients, health care providers, and families should be improved to prevent the pact of silence, and help patients cope with death.
OBJECTIVES: To determine why terminally-ill patients, family caregivers and health care providers make a pact of silence about the terminal status of the patient, and to identify the attitudes, experiences and opinions of family caregivers concerning the conspiracy of silence in palliative care. METHODS: A qualitative phenomenological study based on an interpretive analysis, conducted in Primary Health Care, Seville, Spain. Study dimensions: knowledge of the diagnosis and prognosis of the condition; disclosure of information; reaction to information received, feelings and approach to death; information disclosed to the patient and reasons behind partial disclosure; communication between patients, families, and health care providers. STUDY POPULATION: Family caregivers of patients on palliative care suspicious about a pact of silence. RESULTS: Family caregivers hamper professional-patient communication; use of deceit to conceal the truth; suspicion that the patient knows the truth; the clinician conceals the truth; paternalist attitudes; feelings of sadness, grief, resignation, acceptance of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The pact of silence has negative effects on coping with death, quality of life in the last days of life, and mourning. Communication between patients, health care providers, and families should be improved to prevent the pact of silence, and help patients cope with death.
Keywords:
Actitud frente a la muerte; Attitude to death; Caregivers; Communication; Comunicación; Cuidadores; Cuidados paliativos; Hospice care; Pact of silence; Pacto de silencio
Authors: Olivia Ibañez-Masero; Inés María Carmona-Rega; María Dolores Ruiz-Fernández; Rocío Ortiz-Amo; José Cabrera-Troya; Ángela María Ortega-Galán Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-07-11 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Gema Serrano-Gemes; Isabel Gil; Adriana Coelho; Rafael Serrano-Del-Rosal Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-12-08 Impact factor: 3.390