title: Changes in the Attitude and Practice Toward End-of-Life Care: Perspective of Chinese Physicians in Medical Department.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  End-of-life care is affected by the attitude and cultural influence of doctors.
  
  
  METHODS
  To investigate the attitudes and practices of doctors on end-of-life care by questionnaire survey in 2004 and 2008.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2004, 31.7% of the respondents agreed that they "do not attempt resuscitation" (DNAR) form was useful and it rose to 54.4% in 2008. A higher proportion of respondents in 2008 claimed that they signed the DNAR form for documentation and accepted withholding noninvasive life-sustaining treatment compared to 2004. In 2004, 50% of the respondents regarded their training and education on handling DNAR issue as inadequate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Documentation by DNAR form is gaining wider acceptance. Many doctors are expected to have more training and coaching on communication for handling such sensitive issues.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong lamkw1@ha.org.hk.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: K W Au
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D000070659:Patient Comfort; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D016414:Resuscitation Orders / Q000523:psychology*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Chinese; communication; culture; end-of-life care; ethics; life-support therapy