End-of-life care beliefs among Hindu physicians in the United States

Several studies from the United States and Europe showed that physicians' religiosity is associated with their approach to end-of-life care beliefs. No such studies have focused exclusively on Hindu physicians practicing in the United States. A 34-item questionnaire was sent to 293 Hindu physic...

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Published inAmerican journal of hospice & palliative medicine Vol. 32; no. 1; p. 8
Main Authors Ramalingam, Vijaya Sivalingam, Saeed, Fahad, Sinnakirouchenan, Ramapriya, Holley, Jean L, Srinivasan, Sinnakirouchenan
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.02.2015
Subjects
Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel - ethnology
Culture
Female
Hinduism
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Physicians - statistics & numerical data
Surveys and Questionnaires
Terminal Care
United States
withdrawal of life support
questionnaire
Hinduism
religiosity
do not resuscitate
end-of-life care
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Summary:Several studies from the United States and Europe showed that physicians' religiosity is associated with their approach to end-of-life care beliefs. No such studies have focused exclusively on Hindu physicians practicing in the United States. A 34-item questionnaire was sent to 293 Hindu physicians in the United States. Most participants believed that their religious beliefs do not influence their practice of medicine and do not interfere with withdrawal of life support. The US practice of discussing end-of-life issues with the patient, rather than primarily with the family, seems to have been adopted by Hindu physicians practicing in the United States. It is likely that the ethical, cultural, and patient-centered environment of US health care has influenced the practice of end-of-life care by Hindu physicians in this country.
ISSN:1938-2715
DOI:10.1177/1049909113505138