End-of-Life Decision Making in Patients with Advanced Dementia: The Perspectives of the Korean General Population and Clinicians

• 발행기관: 대한신경정신의학회
• 저자명: So Yeon Jeon Shin Hye Yoo Jung Lee In Gyu Song Min Sun Kim Hye Yoon Park
• 간행물 정보: 『Psychiatry Investigation』제21권 제10호, 1137~1148쪽, 전체 12쪽
• 주제분류: 의약학 > 정신과학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2024.10.31

국문 초록

Objective Korea’s transition into a super-aged society brings to the forefront the escalating dementia prevalence and the consequent rise in mortality, highlighting the need for effective end-of-life (EOL) care strategies. Despite legislative advancements, gaps remain in addressing the medical and ethical challenges of EOL care for patients with advanced dementia, particularly in evaluating treatment options like nasogastric tube (NGT) use and mechanical ventilation (MV). This study investigates the attitudes of the general population (GP) and clinicians in Korea towards EOL treatment decisions. Methods A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted among 500 members of the GP and 200 clinicians from a university hospital. Case vignettes were used to assess attitudes towards EOL treatment decisions, specifically focusing on NGT and MV use, and to explore the influencing factors. Results There was a notable difference in favorable attitudes toward NGT withdrawal between the GP (62.2%) and clinicians (39.0%). Otherwise, both groups showed higher acceptance of MV withholding (82.2% [GPs] and 82.5% [clinicians]) when informed of the patient’s verbal intention regarding life-sustaining treatment (LST), and attitudes were more positive with written advance directives. Also, it was decreased when patient intentions were unclear. Conclusion The results suggested the need to consider NGT as a medical intervention requiring a risk-benefit analysis. Although LST decision-making in patients with advanced dementia is still limited in Korea, this study showed the shared recognition among the GP and clinicians of the importance of EOL treatment decisions that consider patient wishes and quality of life for patients with advanced dementia.

목차

INTRODUCTION

METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION

REFERENCES

키워드

Dementia End-of-life Artificial respiration Artificial feeding Korea