Informed consent in elderly patients’ in the dental setting
Lavina Choie1, University of Otago Dunedin 1University of Otago, Dunedin New Zealand
Abstract
People aged 65 and older have low utilisation of dental services. There are numerous reasons to explain this therefore this reading will look into these aspects. It is thought this could be due to ethical issues surrounding informed consent. Informed consent is fundamental in a clinical setting therefore its’ importance is one topic that should be focused on rather than overlooked. Currently the way consent is gained can be questionable because how does a clinician know if a patient is truly informed? There could be barriers inhibiting a patient from being informed and information can be lost in translation or more so not accurately relayed to the patient, therefore this essay explores these factors. The objective in this reading is to investigate the specific topic ‘informed consent of elderly patients’ in the dental setting’ where key ethical issues will be identified from a theoretical and methodological perspective. Contemporary views regarding power of attorney, health literacy and the vulnerability of older patients with impairments inhibiting vital informed consent are examined. Literature is reviewed and various arguments shed further insight into this valuable bioethical topic with the hope that future policies can be put in place in order to protect the elderly in our communities and to encourage their autonomy.
Biography
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