ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Opinions on futile therapy on the basis of a survey conducted among the Polish young generation
1
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Upper Silesian Child Health Centre, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
2
Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Upper Silesian Children’s Health Centre, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
3
Department of Anaesthesiology and Paediatric Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin, Poland
4
Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland
5
Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland
6
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Nursing Care, Faculty of Health Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland
Submission date: 2025-07-04
Acceptance date: 2025-08-28
Online publication date: 2026-09-18
Corresponding author
Maria Damps
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Upper Silesian Child Health Centre, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 16, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Upper Silesian Child Health Centre, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Medyków 16, 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
Maintaining the functions of organs that do not bring any benefits to the patient and do not make it possible to achieve the assumed therapeutic goals is called futile therapy. The debate on limiting futile therapy in the aspect of end-of-life care has been ongoing in Poland over the last decade.
Aim of the research:
This is the first study in Poland regarding Generation Z. It should be assumed that the opinion of the youngest adult expressed in the study may change with the passing of years and life experience. However, the views of these young people can also influence health policy in the coming decades.
Material and methods:
The study involved an anonymous electronic survey conducted among young Polish university students. The questionnaire was validated in a group of 20 randomly selected students, who were surveyed twice a week with the same tool.
Results and conclusions:
A total of 161 students participated in the study. The responses showed that the students felt that the decision to discontinue therapy in adult patients should first be made by patients themselves (83.2%), followed by patients’ therapeutic teams (72.6%), patients’ families (47.2%), and according to court decisions (14.9%). Students from medical universities and other faculties demonstrated good knowledge of issues related to the concept of futile therapy, which is a good predictor of the future in terms of the level of public awareness. A positive finding is that the students were aware of the existence of various solutions regarding the possibility of a patient expressing their autonomous decision at every stage of the therapeutic procedure.
Maintaining the functions of organs that do not bring any benefits to the patient and do not make it possible to achieve the assumed therapeutic goals is called futile therapy. The debate on limiting futile therapy in the aspect of end-of-life care has been ongoing in Poland over the last decade.
Aim of the research:
This is the first study in Poland regarding Generation Z. It should be assumed that the opinion of the youngest adult expressed in the study may change with the passing of years and life experience. However, the views of these young people can also influence health policy in the coming decades.
Material and methods:
The study involved an anonymous electronic survey conducted among young Polish university students. The questionnaire was validated in a group of 20 randomly selected students, who were surveyed twice a week with the same tool.
Results and conclusions:
A total of 161 students participated in the study. The responses showed that the students felt that the decision to discontinue therapy in adult patients should first be made by patients themselves (83.2%), followed by patients’ therapeutic teams (72.6%), patients’ families (47.2%), and according to court decisions (14.9%). Students from medical universities and other faculties demonstrated good knowledge of issues related to the concept of futile therapy, which is a good predictor of the future in terms of the level of public awareness. A positive finding is that the students were aware of the existence of various solutions regarding the possibility of a patient expressing their autonomous decision at every stage of the therapeutic procedure.
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| eISSN: | 2300-6722 |
| ISSN: | 1899-1874 |
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