Mental health aspects of the informed consent process.
Recent social, political, legal, and technical developments have led to increasing consideration of informed consent practices. Many physicians have reservations about possible harm, especially to the more "vulnerable" individual which might be done by truth telling. Observations made by a psychiatrist in a government research hospital, where informed consent is mandatory, are reported in this paper. There was no evidence that the informed consent process was harmful or not desired by patients and/or families of either "normal" or "vulnerable" populations. Concern about possible harm from truth telling came mainly from physicians and is based on physicians' personal anxiety in a situation involving close emotional contact with another person, the patient. There was some evidence that the informed consent process, when adequately supported by appropriate behavioral-science services, may be a factor in enhancing the mental health of both patients and members of the health team. Mental health implications of the style of openness and honesty as seen in the informed consent process are discussed.
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006782:Hospitals, Special; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011570:Psychiatry; D012306:Risk; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014481:United States