Validation and Preliminary Results of a Questionnaire for Physicians about Bioethical Aspects Related to Enteral Feeding in Patients with Dementia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5294/pebi.2023.27.2.2Keywords:
Palliative care, dementia, survey, enteral nutrition, bioethicsAbstract
Introduction: Enteral feeding in patients with dementia poses an ethical-clinical challenge. This article presents the validation process of a questionnaire to know doctors’ opinions on the matter and its preliminary results. Materials and methods: An anonymous questionnaire was prepared to obtain doctors’ views about enteral feeding. I was aimed at palliative care, geriatrics, internal medicine, and neurology specialists from public and private care centers attending to three clinical cases of patients with dementia at different stages of evolution. The questions addressed four fields: motivations for starting or stopping enteral feeding, therapeutic adequacy, euthanasia, and decision-making. Results: A response rate of 64 % was attained. The questionnaire turned out to be a tool with acceptable validity and reliability. Palliative care and geriatrics specialists were more likely to adapt therapeutic efforts and integrate the family into decisions. Internal medicine and neurology professionals tended to be more invasive in their treatments. Conclusion: The results allow us to recommend the questionnaire to assess professionals’ attitudes toward the most relevant bioethical issues in the care of patients with dementia.
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