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Results for “Personal Autonomy”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Obligations to treat, personal autonomy, and artificial nutrition and hydration.

Personal autonomy and the right of self-determination are the basis of the right to refuse treatment. They do not grant the right to demand treatment that the responsible doctor regards as not clinically indicated. 'Best interests' operates as a test in relation to patients who are incompetent. The doctor-patient relationship is a joint enterprise with the aim of improving patient welfare as clinically judged, but only to the extent permitted by the patient. The decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of R v General Medical Council (GMC) ex parte Burke (2005) is explored.

Decision Making↗
PubMed2004

Are genetic self-tests dangerous? Assessing the commercialization of genetic testing in terms of personal autonomy.

Should a growing market for genetic self-tests be welcomed or feared? From the point of view of personal autonomy the increasing availability of predictive health information seems promising. Yet it is frequently pointed out that genetic information about future health may cause anxiety, distress and even loss of "life-hopes." In this article the argument that genetic self-tests undermine personal autonomy is assessed and criticized. I contend that opportunities for autonomous choice are not reduced by genetic information but by misperceptions and misunderstandings of the results of genetic tests. Since the interpretation of genetic information is sometimes distorted by the information provided about the genetic products, more attention should be given to deceitful marketing that overblows the utility of genetic products. Yet personal autonomy is reduced neither by genetic tests nor by genetic information and there is consequently no compelling case for the conclusion that genetic self-tests should be prohibited.

Decision Making↗
PubMed1991

A conceptual and empirical exploration of personal autonomy issues within family caregiving relationships.

We explored personal autonomy issues within family caregiving relationships and found little evidence of significant autonomy conflicts. Findings did suggest, however, that family members were more sensitive to autonomy issues than were their frail older relatives and that both groups defined the disability itself as the major impediment to autonomy in later life. Findings support the usefulness of an expanded definition of autonomy, emphasizing the importance of goal-directed behavior, which may be inhibited by intrinsic conditions as well as external forces.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Research in human genetics: the tension between doing no harm and personal autonomy.

The physician-patient relationship was governed for centuries by the ethical principle of beneficence and the physician's dedication to the principle of doing no harm. This structure shifted, however, to the principle of personal autonomy as medical and surgical knowledge expanded and patients, rather than physicians, became the locus of decision-making authority. In biomedical research in the United States, however, beneficence of the research professional remained dominant until a spectrum of doubtful research practices was made public in the 1970s and thereafter. Over the past three decades, state and federal governments have instituted regulations that provide increased protections for human research subjects, although research results are rarely shared with subjects because of the provisional nature of unconfirmed laboratory results. Now, however, genetics researchers and others suggest that subjects may well have an interest in present and future results, even though provisional. These issues are presently under discussion and may eventually open new possibilities for sharing research information with subjects who wish to be informed.

Decision Making↗
PubMed2005

Respect for persons, autonomy and palliative care.

This paper explores some of the values that underpin health care and how these relate more specifically to the values and ethics of palliative care. The paper focuses on the concept of autonomy because autonomy has emerged as a foundational concept in contemporary health care ethics and because this is an opportunity to scratch the surface of this concept in order to reveal something of its complexity, a necessary precaution when applying the concept to the context of palliative care. The paper begins with a theoretical discussion of autonomy exploring an aspect of its contemporary meaning and relevance to health care. The second part of the paper focuses more closely on how the principle of respect for autonomy can be applied in the context of palliative care. In this section an ethical framework is employed to explore a practical application of this principle within a broader context of respect for persons.

Ethics, Medical↗
PubMed2000

Sustained personal autonomy: a measure of successful aging.

OBJECTIVES: This study addresses the following question: What characteristics of urban, noninstitutionalized elders predict which individuals are most likely to remain independent of personal assistance during a 2-year observation period? METHODS: A population-based sample of 602 noninstitutionalized urban residents aged 70 and older was followed for 2 years. RESULTS: Ninety-eight of the 487 survivors remained independent. Factors associated with sustained independence were relatively younger age, male gender, fewer medical conditions, good physical function, and nonsmoking. The attitudes "favors family or self over agency assistance" and "does not expect filial obligation" were also independently associated. DISCUSSION: The results are consistent with previous studies of successful aging and show that attitudes expressed at baseline favoring personal independence are associated with sustained autonomy during a period of at least 2 years.

Age Factors↗