Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2026

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations
Published on: September 16, 2015
Between uncertainty and certainty
1Department of Medical Ethics at Lund University, Sweden. Lena.Hoff@med.lu.se
Abstract:
In this study, 10 hematologists and 10 lung oncologists were interviewed regarding the information they provide to patients in four situations of uncertainty: determining the treatment that is in the patient's best interest; recurrence or progression of the patient's disease; determining when to withdraw life-prolonging treatment; discussing death, addressing questions such as whether the patient will die from the disease, and when. The primary finding is that delivery of information to patients with low survival rates can be improved by more and better disclosure by physicians at an earlier stage. The crucial point for physicians is to ascertain the wishes of patients, to learn what to reveal about what patients should expect, short term and long term, as death approaches.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Uncertainty: Overview
Uncertainty: Confidence Intervals
Propagation of Uncertainty from Random Error
Uncertainty in Measurement: Accuracy and Precision
The Uncertainty Principle
Uncertainty in Measurement: Reading Instruments

