Physicians’ Conceptions of the Dying Patient: Scoping Review and Qualitative Content Analysis of the United Kingdom Medical Literature

Abstract

Most people in high income countries experience dying while receiving healthcare, yet dying has no clear beginning, and contexts influence how dying is conceptualised. This study investigates how UK physicians conceptualise the dying patient. We employed Scoping Study Methodology to obtain medical literature from 2006-2021, and Qualitative Content Analysis to analyse stated and implied meanings of language used, informed by social-materialism. Our findings indicate physicians do not conceive a dichotomous distinction between dying and not dying, but construct conceptions of the dying patient in subjective ways linked to their practice. We argue that the focus of future research should be on exploring practice-based challenges in the workplace to understanding patient dying. Furthermore, pre-Covid-19 literature related dying to chronic illness, but analysis of literature published since the pandemic generated conceptions of dying from acute illness. Researchers should note the ongoing effects of Covid-19 on societal and medical awareness of dying.