An Overview of Physician Attitudes toward Death and Dying: History, Factors, and Implications for Medical Education

Abstract

In recent years, much attention has been directed toward death-related topics, including the role of the physician in caring for terminally ill patients and communicating with patients and families about death and dying. During the past decade, researchers and critics have often described death in America as being problematic because of tension between heroic and humanistic medical care. This article presents an overview of the attitudes of physicians and medical students regarding end-of-life issues. Included are a discussion of the history of death in Western medicine, information about specific attitudes medical professionals hold regarding terminally ill patients and their families, and research findings about specific factors such as gender, specialty, and years of training and practice that contribute to these attitudes. A need for improved medical education about death and dying is emphasized, with recommendations about how to increase the knowledge of medical professionals and offer patients death with dignity.