Authors

1Ángel Bachiller Baeza, 2Susana Hernández de Miguel, 2Magdalena Martínez Queipo, 2Rocío Delgado Martínez, 2Verónica Domínguez Cano

Position

¹Especialista en Medicina Legal y Forense. Profesor de la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería. Universidad de Valladolid. ²Estudiantes de 3^er curso. Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería. Universidad de Valladolid.

Contact address

Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería. Edificio de Ciencias de la Salud. C/Ramón y Cajal, 7. 47005 Valladolid.

Abstract

A living will is a document where people, sick or not, express the instructions to be followed in the event of them becoming terminally ill and not being able to state their wishes. With the aim of determining how aware about the existence and characteristics of the living will physicians practicing in the province of Valladolid are, as well as how they view the living will, a cross-sectional descriptive analysis was conducted using a self-elaborated questionnaire administered to both male and female physicians in a rural vs an urban setting, in a hospital-based vs out-patient setting, and in a public/state vs private setting. 70.3% of the sample states that they know about the existence of the living will, although only 10.8% states to know it in detail. 83.4% is in agreement with the application of the living will; of these, 51.9% states that they would apply the will if it were a legally authorised document. The physicians included in the sample were very interested in this subject. It would be appropriate to provide more information to the medical personnel to ensure that credible and reliable information is given to the patients. The majority of surveyed physicians would agree with the application of the living will for as long as it written in a legally acceptable document.

Keywords:

previous instructions; living will; awareness; attitudopinion

Versión en Español

Título:

Testamento vital: la opinión médica en la provincia de Valladolid