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Beyond Legal Boundaries: Public and Clinician Perspectives on Treatment Withdrawal in Infants With Poor Neurological Prognosis.
Song, In Gyu; Lee, Jung; Kim, Min Sun; Lee, Ji Weon; Jeon, So Yeon; Yoo, Shin Hye; Park, Hye Yoon.
Affiliation
  • Song IG; Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • Lee J; Integrative Care Hub, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • Kim MS; Integrative Care Hub, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • Lee JW; Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • Jeon SY; Center for Palliative Care and Clinical Ethics, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. mskim81@snu.ac.kr.
  • Yoo SH; Integrative Care Hub, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
  • Park HY; Department of Psychiatry, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, Korea.
J Korean Med Sci ; 39(25): e196, 2024 Jul 01.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38952347
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Despite medical advancements in neonatal survival rates, many children have poor neurological outcomes. Because the law in Korea restricts the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment to only cases of imminent death, treatment discontinuation may not be an option, even in patients with poor neurological prognosis. This study investigated the opinions of the general population and clinicians regarding life-sustaining treatment withdrawal in such cases using hypothetical scenarios.

METHODS:

We conducted a cross-sectional study on the general population and clinicians using a web-based questionnaire. The sample of the general population from an online panel comprised 500 individuals aged 20-69 years selected by quota sampling. The clinician sample comprised 200 clinicians from a tertiary university hospital. We created hypothetical vignettes and questionnaire items to assess attitudes regarding mechanical ventilation withdrawal for an infant at risk of poor neurological prognosis due to birth asphyxia at 2 months and 3 years after the incidence.

RESULTS:

Overall, 73% of the general population and 74% of clinicians had positive attitudes toward mechanical ventilator withdrawal at 2 months after birth asphyxia. The proportion of positive attitudes toward mechanical ventilator withdrawal was increased in the general population (84%, P < 0.001) and clinicians (80.5%, P = 0.02) at 3 years after birth asphyxia. Religion, spirituality, the presence of a person with a disability in the household, and household income were associated with the attitudes of the general population. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis of the general population, respondents living with a person with a disability or having a disability were more likely to find the withdrawal of the ventilator at 2 months and 3 years after birth asphyxia not permissible. Regarding religion, respondents who identified as Christians were more likely to find the ventilator withdrawal at 2 months after birth asphyxia unacceptable.

CONCLUSION:

The general population and clinicians shared the perspective that the decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment in infants with a poor neurological prognosis should be considered before the end of life. A societal discussion about making decisions centered around the best interest of pediatric patients is warranted.
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Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Respiration, Artificial / Withholding Treatment Limits: Adult / Aged / Female / Humans / Infant / Male / Middle aged / Newborn Country/Region as subject: Asia Language: En Journal: J Korean Med Sci Journal subject: MEDICINA Year: 2024 Document type: Article Country of publication:

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Respiration, Artificial / Withholding Treatment Limits: Adult / Aged / Female / Humans / Infant / Male / Middle aged / Newborn Country/Region as subject: Asia Language: En Journal: J Korean Med Sci Journal subject: MEDICINA Year: 2024 Document type: Article Country of publication: