Physicians’ attitudes and experiences about withholding/withdrawing life-sustaining treatments in pediatrics: a systematic review of quantitative evidence

Table 7 Relationships between physicians’ perceptions of stakeholders involved in LST decision-making and certain physician-related factors^a

	Physician-Related factors
	*Physician*	*Parents*		*Child*
Publication	Country’s economic status^b	Professional specialty	Country’s economic status	Professional specialty	Country’s economic status
Sanchez Varela et al. (2015) [51]	Advocated patients to receive medically indicated treatment: NS	—	Informed parents about health-care costs: p = 0.0004	—	Included adolescents in decision-making: p < 0.0001; obtained consent: NS
Yotani et al. (2017a) [53]	—	Discussed the use of antibiotics with parents: p < 0.05	—	Involved patients in discussions about their condition and treatments (e.g., treatment and care goals, DNAR orders, ventilator treatment if the patients’ condition worsened, ACP, CPR and the use of ventilators, vasopressors, and antibiotics): p < 0.05	—
Yotani et al. (2017b) [54]	—	Involved parents in discussions about condition and treatments (e.g., child’s medical condition: p = 0.03; understanding of medical condition: p = 0.04; use of antibiotics: p < 0.01; use of intravenous fluids: p = 0.04)	—	Involved patients in discussions about their condition and treatments (e.g., medical condition: p < 0.01; understanding of medical condition: p = 0.01; DNAR orders: p < 0.01; use of ventilator if patients’ medical condition worsened: p < 0.01; treatment and care goals shared with patients and families: p = 0.04; all advance directive topics: p < 0.05)	—

NS No statistical correlation found; —, not tested
^aStatistical correlations between specialty and physicians’ attitudes were tested and reported
^bLow-, middle-, or high-income countries. See Sanchez Varela et al. [51]

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