Table 7.
Participation of patient and relatives in the decision-making process by end-of-life category
| A (n = 98) a | B (n = 140) a | C (n = 23) a | D (n = 8) a | Total (n = 269) a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No patient or family involvement | 68 (69) | 129 (92) | 10 (43) | 5 (63) | 212 (79) |
| Patient consented | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) |
| Patient disagreed | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) |
| Relatives consented | 26 (27) | 10 (7) | 13 (57) | 3 (37) | 52 (19) |
| Relatives disagreed | 0 (0) | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) |
| Patient disagreed, but relatives consented | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) |
| Relatives insisted despite physician' s recommendation to the contrary | 1 (1) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (0.4) |
Data are presented as numbers (percentages) of patients. aNumber of patients for whom the respective section of the questionnaire was filled.
A, full support including unsuccessful CPR; B, active support up to but not including CPR; C, withholding (not starting or escalating) some form of life support (besides CPR); D, withdrawal of existing treatment. CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation.