Since smoking is implicated in many diseases, medical professionals are expected to contribute to the reduction of smoking rates in their practice. Medical students are also expected to learn the importance of practical measures against smoking. This study surveyed the smoking rates and attitudes to smoking among medical students of the Nagoya University School of Medicine. Out of 612 students ...

OBJECTIVE This study compared the performance of four brief screening measures for depression in a group of terminally ill patients. The methods included 1) a single-item interview assessing depressed mood, 2) a two-item interview assessing depressed mood and loss of interest in activities, 3) a visual analog scale for depressed mood, and 4) the Beck Depression Inventory-Short Form. METHOD Se...

The Government of India recently published a draft version of the Medical Treatment of Terminally-Ill Patients Bill for comments and feedback from the public. The bill, when enacted, will provide some clarity to end-of-life care in terminally ill patients in India and is intended to protect both physicians and patients frompotential liability. Such a law is relevant for the global oncology comm...

A study of 50 terminally ill cancer patients revealed that 52% were uninformed regarding their diagnosis and prognosis. In almost all cases the relatives had been adequately informed. No less than 82% of the terminally ill patients showed an awareness of the fatal prognosis. Most of the patients found the communication with the doctor and the relatives as unsatisfactory. Comparing this group wi...

BACKGROUND In the Netherlands, the increase in of out-of-hours care that is provided by GP co-operatives is challenging the continuity of care for the terminally ill in general practice. Aim of this study is to investigate the views of general practitioners (GPs) on the transfer of information about terminally ill patients to the GP co-operatives. GPs were asked to give their view from two diff...

OBJECTIVE To examine the possible impact of changes in the organization and management of the Medicaid program on hospitalization patterns for children with chronic and nonchronic conditions between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1998. DESIGN Longitudinal retrospective study of hospitalization patterns of children in 4 strata: Medicaid, non-Medicaid, chronic conditions, and nonchronic cond...

Decisions concerning the use of intravenous fluids and antibiotics in terminally ill patients are regularly made by hospital doctors, but there is little record of staff attitudes and current practice in Britain. A questionnaire was therefore distributed to 833 Welsh hospital doctors, citing the case of a hypothetical terminally ill patient and asking questions about medical management. Of the ...

In the recent case of Stransham-Ford v. the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, the North Gauteng High Court held that a terminally ill patient who was experiencing intractable suffering was entitled to commit suicide with the assistance of his doctor and that the doctor's conduct would not be unlawful. The court was careful to state that it was not making a general rule about doctor...

AIM To compare the satisfaction levels of patients and carers with a community night nursing service. METHOD Thirty seven patients and 23 carers completed satisfaction postal questionnaires. Respondents were further subdivided into acute, chronic and terminally ill patients and their carers. RESULTS Satisfaction levels with the service were generally high, although respondents from the term...