Exploring Distinct Profiles in Paediatric Bioethics-An Analysis of Proactive and Reactive Approaches by Adults

Area of Science:

• Paediatric Bioethics
• Medical Ethics
• Child Healthcare Ethics

Background:

• Paediatric bioethics navigates ethical dilemmas in child care, balancing parental authority with children's evolving preferences.
• Promoting ethical awareness in minors is crucial for understanding complex medical issues.
• This study examines how sociodemographic, educational, and experiential factors influence adult perspectives on paediatric bioethical issues, focusing on pain and death.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze sociodemographic, educational, and experiential factors shaping adult views on paediatric bioethical issues.
• To identify distinct adult profiles in approaching paediatric bioethical concerns, particularly regarding pain and death.

Main Methods:

• An online questionnaire was developed and disseminated to collect adult views on bioethical issues.
• Data from 889 Italian adults were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0.
• Clustering analysis identified two distinct groups based on their responses.

Main Results:

• Cluster 1: Predominantly female, highly educated, with greater experience in paediatric bioethics. Favored a collaborative, preventive approach and early childhood education on bioethics.
• Cluster 2: Higher proportion of males and parents, lower educational attainment, and less experience with bioethical concerns. Preferred a reactive, situation-specific approach.
• Significant differences were observed in educational background, parental status, and prior experience with paediatric bioethical issues between the two clusters.

Conclusions:

• Two distinct adult profiles emerged regarding paediatric bioethics: a proactive, collaborative group and a reactive, situation-driven group.
• Findings highlight the need for tailored educational programs to enhance discussions on sensitive paediatric topics like pain and death.
• Understanding these differing perspectives is key to developing effective communication strategies in paediatric care settings.