Doctors' death experience and attitudes towards death, euthanasia and informing terminal patients

In daily practice physicians are professionally obliged to interpret ethical precepts and laws in emergency situations under extreme pressure when resuscitation measures leave little or no time to consider deontological issues. The extent to which extraprofessional experiences influence physicians' attitudes towards death and terminal patients is a difficult issue to approach with precision. The purpose of this study was to analyse the influence of some personal biographical circumstances on physicians' attitudes towards death and terminal patients. A total of 153 doctors ranging in age from 22 to 77 years (mean 38.24; SD 13.08) were randomly chosen. Physicians, as an integral part of society, cannot be expected to be immune to the influences which mould our attitudes. We suggest that young physicians and medical students should receive information and training aimed at equipping them to face death and dying patients.