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Hope and harm: a delicate balance
Author(s) -
Campbell Deborah A
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2001.tb143715.x
Subject(s) - autonomy , harm , balance (ability) , diversity (politics) , health professionals , health care , cultural diversity , psychology , nursing , environmental ethics , medicine , sociology , social psychology , political science , law , philosophy , neuroscience
Australia's cultural diversity poses challenges to healthcare professionals, particularly in caring for dying people. Different cultures have different attitudes to the role of the doctor, patient autonomy and disclosure of diagnosis and prognosis. Doctors need to recognise the cultural and spiritual needs of patients and their families.