Several professionals think that dignity could be the link explaining the interrelationship between health and human rights. In fact, the call of the United Nations in favour of the ‘right to health’ means a direct relationship between both concepts when describing health as an essential requirement for a decent living.
22 june 2016
The relief of suffering is the main and basic objective of palliative cares. The treatment of physical, emotional, spiritual and social symptoms aims to guarantee the patient’s pain relief. Hence the importance of preserving the dignity as an unquestionable pillar.
In this sense, ‘the growing interest of the quality of life in the area of palliative cares means a growth of the study of dignity’, according to David Rudilla, Pilar Barreto and Amparo Oliver in their research: ‘Teoría y Práctica de la Dignidad en cuidados paliativos. Una revisión’ (Theory and Practice of the Disgnity in Palliative Cares. A Review), published in the Psicooncología journal in 2014.
The growing interest of the quality of life in the area of palliative cares means a growth of the study of dignity
Most of research works in this field focus on quality of life and control of symptoms, understanding the concerning of these two aspects as the preservation of dignity. In fact, ‘in palliative cares, dignified death is understood as a fundamental human right’, say these professionals.
In their analysis they explain which is the origin and presence of the Dignity concept in history, from Cicero to Kant, going through the Middle Age or the Renaissance. According to Kant, the notion of dignity means the obligation of human beings to be treated with respect.
From Kant, other political philosophers are mentioned that used this concept such as Edmund Burke or Thomas Hobbes. That is when this term stops being used as a exclusive religious or philosophic concept and becomes a concept with multiple meanings and socio-political implications.
The authors of the article consider that dignity can be explained around two meanings:
- Human dignity: inherent and inalienable value belonging to every human being fore the only reason of being a human.
- Social dignity: consequence of the recognition of human dignity. It is experienced through the interaction in social scenarios.
Regarding palliative cares, dignity is explained on one hand, attributing the right to die with capacity and, to extend the possible, to choose the way, moment an place; as well as, on the other hand, attributing the renounce to palliative cares in order to have a natural death, without suffering.
Thus, this concept becomes the epicentre of professionals in palliative cares, being the only objective of the interventions. However, despite there are regulations for this through a legislation specified in the health plans of our country, several reviews of this concluded that: there is a gap between research and practice in palliative cares.
Dignity becomes the epicentre of professionals in palliative cares, being the only objective of the interventions
The authors also highlight, in this section, that after a research carried out in Holland on the euthanasia at the end of life with 405 doctors that attended 7000 deaths. The conclusions were that the main reason for the decision of the patient to die was ‘the loss of dignity’.
However, we can not confirm that the objective of dignity in palliative cares is into operation. Thus, this does not mean that the technical and medical progress was not a great improvement of the life conditions of people. According to Rudilla, Barreto and Oliver, authors of the analysis, the model about Dignity developed by Dr. Chochinov was the most ambitious intend of understanding dignity in palliative cares.
We can not confirm that the objective of dignity in palliative cares is into operation
Chochinov affirms that, despite boasting of cares that preserve dignity at the end of life, there are few medical centres that specify them as an objective.
Ultimately, despite the political and medical authorities started strategic plan in Spain that guarantee quality palliative cares, these might not be adjusted to the reality, since it is difficult to combine aspects such as religion and law.
Despite the political and medical authorities started strategic plan in Spain that guarantee quality palliative cares, these might not be adjusted to the reality
It is important to apprehend the need of dignity in patients, their relatives and professionals that take care of them. That is to say, ‘depending on what they understand for dignity of palliative patients, relatives and professionals, to guarantee that these needs are covered’, according to the authors of the analysis.
