Belén Ortiz-Gonçalves1, Andrés Santiago-Sáez2, Elena Albarrán Juan2, Elena Labajo González2, Bernardo Perea-Pérez2. 1. Centro de Salud Los Alpes, Atención Primaria del Área Sanitaria Este de la Comunidad de Madrid, Madrid, España. Electronic address: bortiz@salud.madrid.org. 2. Departamento de Toxicología y Legislación Sanitaria, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, España.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To create and validate a questionnaire about knowledge and attitudes of the general population in Madrid (Spain) about life's end stage. METHOD: A descriptive study designed as a structured self-administered questionnaire, validated by seven Madrid Health Service professional experts and assessed through a pilot study. RESULTS: The questionnaire consisted of 42 questions, divided into six modules: 1) decisions and psychological-physical care at life's end; 2) palliative care; 3) euthanasia and assisted suicide; 4) advance directives document; 5) spiritual factors; and 6) socio-demographic data. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire was a useful, indirect method to ascertain the opinion of life's end in the Autonomous Region of Madrid. If it were applied in primary health care and hospital care, comparisons could be made among users in different autonomous regions of Spain.
OBJECTIVE: To create and validate a questionnaire about knowledge and attitudes of the general population in Madrid (Spain) about life's end stage. METHOD: A descriptive study designed as a structured self-administered questionnaire, validated by seven Madrid Health Service professional experts and assessed through a pilot study. RESULTS: The questionnaire consisted of 42 questions, divided into six modules: 1) decisions and psychological-physical care at life's end; 2) palliative care; 3) euthanasia and assisted suicide; 4) advance directives document; 5) spiritual factors; and 6) socio-demographic data. CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire was a useful, indirect method to ascertain the opinion of life's end in the Autonomous Region of Madrid. If it were applied in primary health care and hospital care, comparisons could be made among users in different autonomous regions of Spain.
Keywords:
Actitudes al final de la vida; Attitudes to death; Cuestionario; Expert testimony; General population; Panel de expertos; Población general; Questionnaire; Validación del estudio; Validation study