Perceptions of Terminal Illness by Family Physicians and Relatives

Abstract

The final weeks and days of a dying patient's life arouse deep emotions in all those concerned. Invariably, doctor and relative speculate on what the patient feels and knows. This paper explores the area, particularly from the point of view of the English general practitioner caring for his patient in the home environment in cooperation with community nurses. The doctor rated the suffering severe in 19.2 percent of the cases; the relative in 33.3 percent. The doctor found there was direct communication about the outcome with 19 percent of the patients; the relative's estimate was 30.7 percent. Among this group the doctor believed 60.5 percent were completely aware of the situation; the relative 73.7 percent. These are statistically significant differences, though surprisingly doctor and relative found an equal degree of patient acceptance of impending death among those who showed awareness of the outcome. There was another field of significant difference in the frequency of reporting major symptoms.