Table 3

Importance of clinical specialty on experience with end-of-life care (n = 6587, ORs). Multivariate logistic regression (reference group: general practitioners); adjusted for country.

Anaesthesiology
 Geriatrics
 Gynaecology
 Internal medicine
 Neurology
 Oncology
 Pulmonology
 Surgery
Ever withheld or withdrawn treatment
 1.9*
 3.1*
 0.55*
 2.0*
 1.2
 1.4*
 2.0
 1.5
Ever intensified alleviation of pain and symptoms
 1.2*
 1.2
 0.55*
 1.7*
 0.74*
 1.8*
 2.2*
 1.2
Ever deeply sedated a patient until death
 1.0
 1.0
 0.51*
 0.98
 0.72*
 2.4*
 1.3*
 0.76*
Ever received a request for ending of life
 0.57*
 1.4*
 0.42*
 0.96
 0.87
 1.9*
 1.5*
 0.80*
Ever ended the life of a patient on his or her request
 0.50*
 0.34*
 0.37*
 0.51*
 0.51*
 0.90
 0.81
 0.46*

* Odds ratio differs significantly from 1.0 (α = 0.05).

Löfmark et al. BMC Medicine 2008 6:4   doi:10.1186/1741-7015-6-4