A decade beyond medical school: a longitudinal study of physicians' attitudes toward death and terminally-ill patients

Soc Sci Med. 1994 May;38(10):1397-400. doi: 10.1016/0277-9536(94)90277-1.

Abstract

Physicians were surveyed soon after graduation from medical school in 1976 to determine their attitudes toward death and terminally-ill patients and their families. A follow-up survey of the 1093 respondents was made in 1986 to ascertain if changes had occurred in their attitudes. Eight of the eleven Likert-type items showed statistically significant differences over time and by attitudes toward terminally-ill patients and their families. These data present evidence to suggest that physicians in 1986 were more open in telling dying patients their prognosis than in 1976.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attitude of Health Personnel*
  • Attitude to Death*
  • Data Collection
  • Education, Medical, Undergraduate
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Physician-Patient Relations
  • Physicians / psychology*
  • Professional-Family Relations
  • Prognosis
  • Schools, Medical
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Terminal Care / psychology*
  • Time Factors
  • Truth Disclosure
  • United States