Advance Directives in Albania's Paternalistic Health System
Author Information
Author(s): Vyshka Gentian, Kruja Jera
Primary Institution: Biomedical & Experimental Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tirana, Albania
Hypothesis
How does the paternalistic approach of the Albanian health system affect the applicability of advance directives?
Conclusion
Advance directives are largely ineffective in Albania due to cultural, legal, and systemic barriers.
Supporting Evidence
- Advance directives are rarely upheld in Albania due to a lack of legal provisions.
- Medical teams often ignore verbal requests for treatment refusal.
- Albanian culture tends to deny death, complicating end-of-life decisions.
Takeaway
In Albania, people can't easily refuse medical treatment, even if they want to, because the laws and culture make it hard for them to express their wishes.
Methodology
Interviews with relatives of elderly patients admitted to a neurological facility.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to cultural beliefs and the emotional state of relatives during decision-making.
Limitations
The study is limited by the cultural context and the lack of formal legal recognition of advance directives in Albania.
Participant Demographics
Relatives of 57 elderly patients, primarily in a comatose state.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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