Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32291599›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2020

Cancer patients, physicians, and nurses differ in their attitudes toward the decisional role in do-not-resuscitate decision-making.

Lena Saltbæk, Hanne M Michelsen, Knud M Nelausen, Susann Theile, Christian Dehlendorff, Susanne O Dalton, Dorte L Nielsen

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Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Further Psychometric Evaluation of the Eight-Item Hospice Philosophy Scale: Results From a National Sample of Interdisciplinary Hospice Clinicians.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Observational
  6. Article
  7. Research progress in decision-making aids for breast cancer patients.Zhong nan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Central South University. Medical sciences · 2021
    Article
  8. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Lena SaltbækDepartment of Oncology, Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 7, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark. lesa@cancer.dk.
Hanne M MichelsenDepartment of Oncology, Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 7, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark.
Knud M NelausenDepartment of Oncology, Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 7, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark.
Susann TheileDepartment of Oncology, Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 7, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark.
Christian DehlendorffUnit of Statistics and Pharmacoepidemiology, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Susanne O DaltonSurvivorship and Inequality in Cancer, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Strandboulevarden 49, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Dorte L NielsenDepartment of Oncology, Herlev and Gentofte University Hospital, Borgmester Ib Juuls Vej 7, DK-2730, Herlev, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeDo-not-resuscitate (DNR) decision-making in severely ill patients presents many difficult medical, ethical, and legal challenges. The primary aim of this study was to explore cancer patients' and health care professionals' attitudes regarding DNR decision-making authority and timing of the decision.

methodsThis study was a questionnaire survey among Danish cancer patients and their attending physicians and nurses in an oncology outpatient setting. Potential differences between patients', physicians', and nurses' answers to the questionnaire were analyzed using Fisher's exact test.

resultsResponses from 904 patients, 59 physicians, and 160 nurses were analyzed. The majority in all three groups agreed that DNR decisions should be made in collaboration between physician and patient. However, one-third of the patients answered that the patient alone should make the decision regarding DNR, which contrasts with the physicians' and nurses' attitudes, 0% and 6% pointing to the patient as sole decision-maker, respectively. In case of disagreement between patient and physician, a majority of both patients (66%) and physicians (86%) suggested themselves as the ultimate decision-maker. Additionally, 43% of patients but only 19% of physicians preferred the DNR discussion being brought up early in the course of the disease.

conclusionsWith regard to the decisional role of patient vs. physician and the timing of the DNR discussion, we found a substantial discrepancy between the attitudes of cancer patients and physicians. This discrepancy calls for a greater awareness and discussion of this sensitive topic among both health care professionals and the public.

Indexed as

Decision MakingNursesPatientsPhysiciansAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAttitude of Health PersonnelAttitude to DeathDenmarkFemaleHumansMaleMedical OncologyMedical Staff, HospitalMiddle AgedCancerDecisionDecisional roleDo-not-resuscitateResuscitation orderTiming

Identifiers

PMID32291599

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.