Abstract
Although growing, the literature on research into attitudes of general and specialized physicians towards disclosing the diagnosis of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), or the current practice on AD disclosure, remains limited. Moreover, information is also scarce on what caregivers, or indeed patients themselves, wish to know with regard to their diagnosis. The goal of the present article was to present a review of the current available literature on the topic of truth telling in dementia, especially in AD. The studies discussed in this review were mainly conducted in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom, as well as the United States. Disclosure of AD diagnosis is not a common practice among physicians. In the clinical context, the discussion on diagnosis disclosure can be valuable for improving the care of AD patients and their families.
Key words:
dementia; Alzheimer's disease; truth disclosure; diagnosis disclosure; bioethics.
Resumo
O conhecimento científico ainda é limitado, embora crescente, a respeito das atitudes de médicos generalistas e especialistas sobre a revelação do diagnóstico de demência e da doença de Alzheimer (DA), ou ainda em relação à prática atual na revelação diagnóstica da DA. As informações também são escassas sobre o que cuidadores e os próprios pacientes querem saber sobre o seu diagnóstico. O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar uma revisão da literatura disponível atualmente sobre revelação diagnóstica em demência, especialmente na DA. Os estudos discutidos nesta revisão foram feitos principalmente na Europa, a maioria no Reino Unido, e nos Estados Unidos. A revelação diagnóstica da DA não é uma prática comum entre os médicos. No contexto clinico, esta discussão pode ser útil para melhorar o tratamento dos pacientes com DA e a atenção a seus familiares.
Palavras-chave:
demência; doença de Alzheimer; revelação da verdade; revelação diagnóstica; bioética.
Texto completo disponível apenas em PDF.
Full text available only in PDF format.
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Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
Oct-Dec 2008
History
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Received
15 Sept 2008 -
Accepted
28 Oct 2008