title: Finnish doctors and the realisation of patient autonomy in the context of end of life decision making.
abstract: Patient autonomy is a fundamental principle in end of life decision making. However, its realisation may take a variety of forms. Discourse analysis was conducted in a qualitative interview study of 19 physicians. The physicians made use of three different discourses, each of which contained a specific understanding of patient autonomy and a physician's proper activities in the context of end of life decision making.
authors.affiliation: Licentiate of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Finland. hhilden@luukku.com
authors.forename: H-M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hildén
authors.forename: M-L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Honkasalo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Louhiala
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003657:Decision Making; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D012931:Social Environment; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics* / Q000523:psychology; D028761:Withholding Treatment / Q000941:ethics