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KMID : 1025620040070020130
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Korean Journal of Medical Ethics
2004 Volume.7 No. 2 p.130 ~ p.140
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A Survey of Professors’ Opinions on Medical Ethics Issues in Korean University Hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province
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Koh Youn-Suck
Koo Young-Mo
Min Won-Ki
Kim Young-Sik
Lee Jae-Dam
Han Oh-Su
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Abstract
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Background:Medical ethics education in medical schools has grown rapidly since 1990 in Korea. Professors may
have difficulty approaching the current ethical issues, and their opinions still underexposed. The aims of this study are to reveal how professors deal with commonly encountered ethical conflicts and the current status of medical ethics education in Korea.
Methods:A random survey of 403 physicians above the level of full time instructor in university hospitals located
in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province.
Results: Two hundred two Professors (192 men) responded at 21 hospitals. More than half (56.9%) explained the
patient’s condition on their own. When selecting an expensive therapy, 53.5% acted on patients or their families’ decision while 20.3% decided alone considering patients’ economic status. 73.9% of the respondents had experience in clinical investigations while 78.1% received informed consent from the subjects or their relatives for clinical investigation. 45.0% referred their investigation proposals to the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Hospitals with an active IRB had a higher frequency of IRB requests and informed consents than hospitals with an inactive IRB (p< 0.05 in each). 56.2% reported an ethical dilemma concerning whether to credit non-contributory colleagues as coauthors of a research paper. Assistant Professors and full time instructors (54.9%) had more negative opinions toward this issue than Professors (34.4%) and Associate Professors (37.5%)(p< 0.05). Respondents experienced an ethical dilemma stemming from patients’ gifts sometimes (48.0%) and frequently (3.5%). The frequency of "patient’s gift should not be received" was higher among the respondents who always refer research proposals to the IRB, and who work in a hospital with an active IRB, than the others (p< 0.05 in each). 53.9% of survey participants had been induced to elect a particular device or drug by manufactures.46.0% were not influenced by pressure to raise their hospitals’ income. 67.2% had never received unethical request from colleagues. 72.8% had at least once changed the content of a patient’s medical certificate. The frequency of rejection was always higher among those working in hospitals with an active IRB than others (57.4% vs. 35.5%, p< 0.05). 84.2% of those surveyed still view ethical education as insufficient in Korean medical universities. 91.6% answered ethical questions from residents based on their personal integrity and clinical experience. 47.3% gave ethical insight to the trainee frequently. The frequency of regular ethical education was higher among Professors (57.0%) than assistant Professors and full time instructors (39.2%)(p< 0.05). 79.1% expressed intent to provide an ethical education for the trainee.
Conclusion:Korean Professors in university hospitals frequently encountered various medical ethic’s dilemmas. The decisions they made differed depending on their seniority and the activity of their IRB.
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KEYWORD
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Medical ethics, Education, University hospital, Professor, Survey
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Listed journal information
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