UK study: Nonreligious doctors hasten death more

[mike r]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gHqI6hfGCE3YGDUAmDRfL0hMqTpwD9HR7AO00

UK study: Nonreligious doctors hasten death more
By MARIA CHENG (AP)

LONDON — Doctors who are atheist or agnostic are twice as likely to make decisions that could end the lives of their terminally ill patients, compared to doctors who are very religious, according to a new study in Britain.

Dr. Clive Seale, a professor at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, conducted a random mail survey of more than 3,700 doctors across Britain, of whom 2,923 reported on how they took care of their last terminal patient. Many of the doctors surveyed were neurologists, doctors specializing in the care of the elderly, and palliative care, though other specialists like family doctors, were also included.

Doctors who described themselves as "extremely" or "very nonreligious" were nearly twice as likely to report having made decisions like providing continuous deep sedation, which could accelerate a patient's death. To ensure doctors are acting in accordance with their patients' wishes, Seale wrote that "nonreligious doctors should confess their predilections to their patients." Seale also found that doctors who were religious were much less likely to have talked about end of life treatment decisions with their patients.

According to guidelines from the British Medical Association, doctors must not allow their religious beliefs to interfere with their treatment of patients. "Whatever your personal beliefs may be...you must be respectful of the patient's dignity and views," the association says. The guidelines also recommend that when patients are unable to communicate their wishes, doctors must not simply rely on their own values, but that they "should take all reasonable steps to maximize the patient's ability to participate in the decision-making process." The study was paid for by Britain's National Council for Palliative Care and was published online Thursday in the Journal of Medical Ethics.

[valerief]

1. Atheist doctors appear to show more compassion for the patient than the bottom line, it seems. nt

[SarahB]

2. UK Study: Religious doctors twice as likely to prolong needless suffering

:eyes:

I'm going to go read the study now, and will perhaps have more to say on it later. But based on the tone of this article, it was clearly biased in favor of the religious.

[SarahB]

5. Never mind. You can't read the full study without paying a fee. nt

[Karenina]

10. Against the patients wishes and directives.

[Brickbat]

3. Why do religious doctors want to keep patients from their eternal reward?

Isn't it supposed to be better there anyway?

[RC]

13. Because religious people are more afraid of death.

Like maybe they have some serous doubts in life after death and don't want to find out for sure.
Where as the nonbelievers already know and excepted the enviable.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Palliative sedation is the way to go

and yes, it does have that side effect...

IN the US we are horrified at that, because we all live forever!

Which reminds me, I need to sit down and do a... living will one of these days.

[Adsos Letter]

7. Yup. Like good home hospice care...

keep the patient comfortable as possible, and as pain-free as they wish (some folks prefer some pain to being too medicated to recognize anyone). And at home in familiar surroundings, if possible.

Seems like the humane way.

[sarge43]

12. If I'm ever at the terminal stage, that's what I want.

And damn straight I want to talk frankly with the medical staff about it.

[sarge43]

14. You get that will in place by next week.

Don't leave your survivors hanging. You probably do know, but it's a horror show trying to get life support reversed if there's no living will.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. I know that is why I need to do that

I suspect I will actually talk about this next visit with the doctor. No I don't expect to drop dead tomorrow, rather in at last another 25 years, but... you never know.

[sarge43]

17. No one does, but stuff takes place.

Here in NH it doesn't even require witnesses, just a notary signature and seal. It may be the same in your state and most medical facilities have a notary on staff. Takes five minutes and you'll have a bit more peace of mind as will your family.

[NMMNG]

6. They spun the study

They hint that non-religious or atheist doctors are just waiting to put you down, and don't listen to your wishes, because they're godless scum. That's simply not true. They spun the headline and story to falsely demonize atheists, as is often the case.

[LAGC]

8. The MSM has a strong pro-religious bias.

Isn't it obvious by now?

[NMMNG]

9. As an atheist I'm all too aware of it

Which is why I'm instantly suspicious of such headlines/articles and dig deeper.

[surrealAmerican]

18. It would appear that the religious doctors ...

...don't even bother to ask their patients what they want.

[NMMNG]

22. Nothing new

They already know what's best for the patients, because their 'deeply held religious beliefs' tell them so. Even if the patients do tell them, they'll ignore it (abortion, birth control, palliative sedation, etc.) because it's "against god's wishes". It makes me sick the way some people put their religion ahead of their profession, particularly when their profession is attending to the needs of others.

[ljm2002]

11. This little bit stands out to me:

"To ensure doctors are acting in accordance with their patients' wishes, Seale wrote that "nonreligious doctors should confess their predilections to their patients." Seale also found that doctors who were religious were much less likely to have talked about end of life treatment decisions with their patients."

So the non-religious doctors are more likely to have talked about end of life treatment with their patients, and religious doctors are less likely to have done so. Yet the treatments chosen by the non-religious doctors is the one considered to be questionable.

Slanted view, I'd say.

[Curmudgeoness]

15. So now I have another question for a prospective doctor.

How much fun will it be to find an atheist doctor??? Can't figure why a very religious doc would prolong life. I guess god will take the patient when god is ready, but the doc will fight god's will to the end.

[surrealAmerican]

19. It's about suffering.

The religious doctors are probably figuring that you are intended to be suffering. The non-religious figure they ought to be relieving your suffering.

[Curmudgeoness]

20. This is a really sick belief system we are talking about if that is the case.

:hide:

[Odin2005]

21. LOL, what a perfect example of SMS spin.

Pathetic.