Informed consent in the care of patients in palliative care. A systematic review.

Abstract

Introduction: Informed consent (IC) is a fundamental ethical principle in the doctor-patient relationship and becomes crucial in the context of palliative care (PC), where decision-making can be complex and delicate, directly impacting quality. of life and well-being of patients and their families. Objective: Identify the barriers perceived by health professionals that limit the effective implementation of IC for patients in CP. Method: a systematic review was carried out in the databases: LILACS, ScienceDirect, Pubmed and The Lancet, using MeSh descriptors, studies focused on the barriers to applying IC in palliative patients were included; using an inductive thematic approach. Results: The search yielded 229 articles, of which 20 were included. Various barriers were identified, which were structured into four categories: (1) social and economic, (2) language or cultural, (3) doctor-patient relationship, and (4) clinics. Conclusions: There are multiple barriers and challenges in the implementation of CI. They include lack of awareness and literacy on the topic, complexity of technical language, resistance from patients and families, lack of time and resources, and lack of adequate training of health personnel.