O Testamento Vital e a Relação Médico-Paciente na perspectiva da Autonomia Privada e da Dignidade da Pessoa Humana / Living Will and Doctor-Patient Relationship from the perspective of Autonomy and Human Dignity

Este trabalho realizou reflexões jurídicas acerca das disposições de vontade do paciente, testamento vital, regulamentado pelo Conselho Federal de Medicina. O objetivo primordial foi demonstrar, sob uma perspectiva jurídica, que o instrumento se coaduna com o ordenamento jurídico brasileiro. Para essa reflexão, foram utilizadas literaturas em ética e bioética sobre o assunto e disposições concernentes ao tema. Buscou‐se estabelecer o testamento vital como garantia da prevalência da autonomia do paciente terminal como instrumento garantidor do direito de morrer com dignidade. Analisou‐se que embora ainda não esteja expressamente positivado no ordenamento jurídico brasileiro, a interpretação dos princípios da autonomia privada e da dignidade da pessoa humana, permitem a conclusão incontestável de que o negócio jurídico encontra guarida na ordem constitucional pátria. Observou‐se que para garantir a validade do testamento vital é essencial as disposições de vontade, permitindo que as relações médico‐pacientes transcorram dentro dos cuidados necessários à dignidade e autonomia no final da vida (AU)

This paper reflects on the legal provisions of the patient's will, living will, regulated by the Federal Council of Medicine. The objective was to demonstrate, in a legal perspective, that the instrument is consistent with the Brazilian legal system. For this reflection, ethics and bioethics literature concerning the issue were used. The aim was to establish the living will to guarantee the prevalence of terminal patient's autonomy as a guarantor instrument of the right to die with dignity. Subsequently, it was examined that although not expressly positive in Brazilian law, the interpretation of the principles of human autonomy and dignity, allows the undeniable conclusion that the legal business finds lodgment in the constitutional order. It was observed that to ensure the validity of living wills is essential the disposition of the will, allowing to doctor‐patient relationship to occurs inside the necessary parameters to apply dignity and autonomy at the end of life (AU)

Evolución del conocimiento y de la realización de instrucciones previas en los pacientes ingresados en medicina interna / Changes in knowledge and carrying out the advance directives of patients admitted to internal medicine

Antecedentes. Las instrucciones previas (IP) son documentos por los que una persona manifiesta anticipadamente su voluntad para que se cumpla cuando no pueda expresarla. Se desconoce si los pacientes ingresados en medicina interna conocen y realizan cada vez más IP. Objetivo. Estudiar la evolución del nivel de conocimiento y de realización de las IP entre los pacientes ingresados en medicina interna en un hospital público de Madrid después de haberse producido una regulación específica sobre IP. Pacientes y métodos. Estudio transversal a través de encuesta de opinión realizada a pacientes ingresados en medicina interna en 2 periodos: 2008 y 2010. Resultados. Se realizaron 206 encuestas (84 en 2008 y 122 en 2010), edad media 76,8 y mujeres el 51,5%. El 69,4% presentaba comorbilidad y 4,4% enfermedad terminal, sin diferencias estadísticas entre años. El 5,3% conocía qué son las IP, solo un paciente las ha realizado y al 46,1%, una vez informados, le gustaría realizarlas. No hubo diferencias entre 2008 y 2010 respecto al conocimiento y realización de las IP. En 2010 existió mayor interés por realizarlas («le gustaría realizarlas»: 52,5 vs 36,9%), aunque también en 2010 fueron menos los que creían que las IP cambiarían la actitud del médico («no cambiaría la actitud del médico»: 92,6 vs 69%, p < 0,001). Conclusiones. El conocimiento y la realización de las IP no varían significativamente en los años posteriores a su regulación (desde 2008 a 2010). En ambos años su conocimiento y realización son muy escasos (AU)

Backgrounds: Advance directives (ADs), are documents in which patients express in advance that their wishes are fulfilled when they are unable to communicate them. It is unknown whether patients admitted to internal medicine are more aware of and make ADs. Objective: To study the changes in the level of knowledge and implementation of AD among patients admitted to an internal medicine department of a hospital in Madrid since a specific regulation to implement them was introduced. Patients and methods: A survey was conducted among patients admitted to internal medicine in two periods: 2008 and 2010. Results: A total of 206 surveys were analysed (84 in 2008 and 122 in 2010). The mean age of the patients was 76.8 years, and 51.5% were women. More than two-thirds (69.4%) had a comorbidity. and 4.4% had a terminal illness, with no statistical differences between the periods. Only 5.3% knew what ADs are, 1 had implemented ADs, and 46.1%, once informed, would like to implement them. There were no differences between 2008 and 2010 as regards knowledge and implementation of AD. In 2010 there was a greater interest to implement them (would like to implement them: 52.5 vs 36.9%), although in 2010 less respondents believe that AD would change the attitude of the doctor (not change the attitude: 92.6 vs. 69%, P < .001). Conclusions: Knowledge and implementation of AD did not change significantly in the years following the regulation (from 2008-2010). In both periods, their knowledge and implementation are scarce (AU)

Documento de voluntades anticipadas: opinión de los profesionales sanitarios de Atención Primaria / Advanced Directives Document: opinion of the primary health care professionals

Objetivo: Conocer la opinión de los profesionales sanitarios de la Atención Primaria (AP) sobre el Documento de Voluntades Anticipadas (DVA). Diseño. Estudio descriptivo transversal. Emplazamiento. Seis centros de salud de Tenerife. Sujetos. Médicos, enfermeros y residentes de medicina familiar y comunitaria. Método; Los participantes recibieron información escrita sobre el DVA junto con un cuestionario de seis preguntas cerradas diseñado específicamente. Resultados. Participaron un total de 113 profesionales (38,7% médicos; 22,6% residentes de Medicina Familiar y 38,7% enfermeros). El 60,6% fueron mujeres. La media de edad fue de 38,59 años (desviación típica [DT]: 9,4) y la media de experiencia laboral de 14,68 años (DT: 10,24). El 68,1% de los participantes conocía la posibilidad de realizar el DVA. El 70% respondió que el paciente debería tener la iniciativa de hablar sobre el DVA. Un 53,2% consideró la consulta de AP como el entorno adecuado, existiendo diferencias según la categoría profesional (residentes: 70,8%, enfermeros: 48,7% y médicos de AP 46,3%; p = 0,005) y según los años de experiencia laboral (menos de 15 años: 66,88%, más de 15 años: 36,84%; p = 0,05). Un 60,7% se sentiría cómodo abordando el tema. Las principales dificultades se encontraron al hablar de la muerte con el paciente (52,2%) o explicar trámites administrativos (45,1%). Conclusiones. El DVA es conocido por más de la mitad de los profesionales de AP, prefiriendo que sea el paciente el que tome la iniciativa. El considerar la consulta de AP el entorno adecuado para hablar del DVA es bien valorado, sobre todo por los profesionales con menos años de experiencia (AU)

Objective. To know primary care (PC) health professional´s opinion about advanced directives (AD). Design. Cross sectional, descriptive study. SETTING. Six health care centres in Tenerife. Participants. Primary care physicians, nurses and family medicine residents. Methods. Participants received written information on the AD along with a questionnaire that consisted of six closedended questions specially designed for this study. Results. 113 professionals participated (38,7% PC physicians, 22,6% family medicine residents and 38,7% nurses). 60,7% were women. The mean age was 38,59 years (SD: 9,4) and the average number of years of work experience was 14,68% (SD: 10,24). Over 68,1% knew the possibility of performing an AD. About 70% answered that patients take the initiative in discussing AD. Fifty-three percent considered a primary care visit as a suitable opportunity to discuss AD, but there were differences according to professional category (residents physicians: 70,8%, nurses: 48,7%, PC physicians: 46,3%, p = 0,005) and years of working experience (<15 years: 66,8%, >15 years: 36,84%, p = 0,05). Over 60,7% felt comfortable dealing with this subject. The main difficulties were found when talking about death with the patient (52,2%) or explaining administrative procedures (45,1%). Conclusions : More than a half of the primary care professionals knew AD, and they preferred patients to take the initiative regarding this subject. Considering primary care visit a suitable moment to discuss AD is well appreciated, especially by those professionals with less experience (AU)