Table 2.
Factors to weigh in ethically complex medical decisions
| Factor (n), and weight assigned | % |
|---|---|
| The patient’s expressed wishes and values | |
| Little to no weight (2) | <1 |
| Some weight (27) | 6 |
| A lot of weight (164) | 38 |
| The highest possible weight (247) | 55 |
| The physician’s own judgment about what is in the patient’s best interest | |
| Little to no weight (13) | 2 |
| Some weight (109) | 25 |
| A lot of weight (258) | 59 |
| The highest possible weight (60) | 15 |
| Standards and recommendations from professional medical bodies | |
| Little to no weight (2) | <1 |
| Some weight (88) | 22 |
| A lot of weight (256) | 59 |
| The highest possible weight (94) | 18 |
| Moral guidelines from religious traditions | |
| Little to no weight (145) | 32 |
| Some weight (207) | 47 |
| A lot of weight (69) | 16 |
| The highest possible weight (18) | 5 |
| Relative weight of patient’s expressed wishes and values | |
| Higher than any other factor (171) | 40 |
| Tied with other factor(s) as highest (212) | 47 |
| Lower than some other factor (54) | 13 |
| Physicians should not let their religious beliefs keep them from providing patients legal medical options | |
| Strongly agree (122) | 24 |
| Agree (233) | 54 |
| Disagree (54) | 15 |
| Strongly disagree (23) | 7 |
Respondents were asked, “When making an ethically complex medical decision, how much weight should physicians give to each of the following considerations?” Table presents population estimates adjusted for survey design.