What Should Clinicians Do When a Patient's Autonomy Undermines Her Being Treated Equitably? Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Language and cultural barriers can impede communication between patients and clinicians, exacerbating health inequity. Additional complications can arise when family members, intending to protect their loved ones, ask clinicians to lie or not disclose to patients their diagnoses, prognoses, or intervention options. Clinicians must express respect for patients' and families' cultural, religious, and social norms regarding health care decision making, but they might also be ethically troubled by some decisions' effects on patients' health outcomes. This article suggests strategies for clinicians trying to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers to equitable patient care.

publication date

  • February 1, 2021

Research

keywords

  • Communication
  • Family

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC8366686

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85102159172

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1001/amajethics.2021.97

PubMed ID

  • 33635189

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 23

issue

  • 2