Family and physicians' views of surrogate decision-making: the roles and how to choose.
Physicians and family members were compared on the roles played in surrogate decision-making and their views as to how choices should be made by surrogate decision-makers. Thirty-six family members of patients with Alzheimer's disease, 35 family members of patients with schizophrenia, and 34 physicians from a diversity of specialties were the respondents. There was general agreement that shared decision-making was preferred. Physicians seem to make surrogate decisions in accordance with contemporary views about their roles. Families believed they had a strong subjective appreciation of the patient's overall good. The burden of decision-making was greater for families, but that depended to some degree on the diagnosis of the patient.
Silberfeld
M
M
Competency Clinic, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, North York, Ontario, Canada.
Grundstein-Amado
R
R
Stephens
D
D
Deber
R
R
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003657:Decision Making; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007872:Legal Guardians; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D008875:Middle Aged; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology