Denial in clinical medicine. A reexamination of the concept and its significance.

It is argued that, due to the diversity of meanings attaching to the term "denial" considerable imprecision exists in the clinical use both of the term itself and of its associated concepts. An obvious danger in this situation is that the term should be rendered unserviceably vague. Less obvious dangers include infringements of patients' rights and a tendency to foster paternalistic decision making. Amending the term's clinical usage is made with recommendations.