Theright toinformation fortheterminally ill patient

Objectives-To analyse theattitudes ofmedical personnel towards terminally ill patients andtheir right tobefully informed. Design-Self-administered questionnaire composed of56closed questions. Setting-Three general hospitals andeleven health centres inGranada (Spain). Thesample comprised 168doctors and207nurses. Results-A high percentage ofmedical personnel (24. 1%)donotthink that informing theterminally ill would help themface their illness with greater serenity. Eighty-four percentthink thepatient's own homeisthebest place todie: 8.9%ofthesubjects questioned state that they would notlike tobe informed ofanincurable illness. Conclusion-In ouropinion anyinformation given should depend onthepatient's personality, thestage oftheillness andfamily circumstances. Ourstudy confirms that ahospital isnottheideal environment forattending totheneeds oftheterminally ill and their families. (7ournal ofMedical Ethics 1998;24:106-109)