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There are more answers than a deadly silence
Health and Social Service Journal
|October 5, 1978
Summary
Social workers may encounter ethical dilemmas when families and medical teams conceal terminal diagnoses from patients. This practice, often termed a conspiracy of silence, raises concerns about patient autonomy and informed consent in end-of-life care.
Area of Science:
- Social Work
- Medical Ethics
- Palliative Care
Background:
- Social workers engage with patients facing life-limiting illnesses.
- Interactions with medical professionals and families are common in end-of-life care.
- Ethical considerations arise regarding patient information and autonomy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe social worker experiences with terminally-ill patients.
- To explore instances where patient conditions were concealed by medical teams, social workers, and relatives.
- To highlight potential ethical conflicts in end-of-life communication.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative description of professional experiences.
- Case-based reflection on patient interactions.
- Analysis of social worker's observations.
Main Results:
- Disquieting experiences reported by a social worker.
- Evidence of "conspiracies" involving medical staff, social workers, and family members.
- Concealment of terminal illness from patients observed.
Conclusions:
- The "conspiracy of silence" can undermine patient rights.
- Ethical frameworks are needed to guide social workers in such situations.
- Further research into family and medical professional dynamics in terminal illness is warranted.