Ethics and communication between physicians and their patients with cancer, HIV/AIDS, and rheumatoid arthritis in Mexico.
BACKGROUND
Despite evidence that open communication concerning diagnosis of a disease substantially improves the doctor-patient relationship, in developing countries physicians often provide partial information.


METHODS
We carried out a cross-sectional study with 379 physicians practicing at 11 hospitals in Mexico City and in the central Mexican state of Morelos to quantify their communication patterns with patients with cancer, HIV/AIDS, and rheumatoid arthritis. Communication patterns were defined as physician self-reported communication with patients with regard to their diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Logistic, ordinal, multivariate models were constructed for analysis.


RESULTS
Assigning a high level of value to communication (odds ratio [OR] 5.5, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.1-14.8), and bioethics training (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0-2.3) were principal predictors of explicit communication with cancer patients. We found a very strong association between explicit communication with HIV/AIDS patients and an accepting attitude of the physician toward death (OR 34.6, 95% CI 8.5-141.0). As for communication with rheumatoid arthritis patients, we observed an association between a very paternalistic attitude on the part of the physician (OR 6.8, 95% CI 1.9-24.1) and complete communication.


CONCLUSIONS
In Mexico, physicians exercise power and authority over patients in an effort that they perceive as beneficial or preventing harm. In most cases, physicians do not seem to recognize or respect their patients' autonomy; therefore, communication is generally partial and vague. Our study established the need among physicians for bioethics and communication training. A discussion of this topic is necessary to transform the doctor-patient relationship and to establish a consensus for policies and norms for communication that benefits patients.
Lazcano-Ponce
Eduardo
E
Dirección de Enfermedades Crónicas, Centro de Investigaciones en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), Secretaría de Salud (SSA), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. elazcano@correo.insp.mx
Angeles-Llerenas
Angélica
A
Alvarez-del Río
Asunción
A
Salazar-Martínez
Eduardo
E
Allen
Betania
B
Hernández-Avila
Mauricio
M
Kraus
Arnoldo
A
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires