Attitudes towards ethical problems in critical care medicine: the Chinese perspective

Critical care doctors are frequently faced with clinical problems that have important ethical and moral dimensions. While Western attitudes and practice are well documented, little is known of the attitudes or practice of Chinese critical care doctors.

An anonymous, written, structured questionnaire survey was translated from previously reported ethical surveys used in Europe and Hong Kong. A snowball method was used to identify 534 potential participants from 21 regions in China.

A total of 315 (59%) valid responses were analysed. Most respondents (66%) reported that admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) was commonly limited by bed availability, but most (63%) would admit patients with a poor prognosis to ICU. Only 19% of respondents gave complete information to patients and family, with most providing individually adjusted information, based on prognosis and the recipient's educational level. Only 28% disclosed all details of an iatrogenic incident, despite 62% stating that they should. The use of do not resuscitate orders or limitation of life-sustaining therapy in terminally ill patients reported as uncommon and according to comparable reports, both are more common practice in Hong Kong or Europe. In contrast to European practices, doctors were more acquiescent to families in decision-making at the end of life.

A number of differences in ethical attitudes and related behaviour between Chinese, Hong Kong and European ICU doctors were documented. A likely explanation is differing cultural background, and doctors should be aware of likely expectations when treating patients from a different culture.