Self-declaration in relation to faith and the ethical attitude of doctors in an urban environment

Abstract

The author analysis the problem of the dependence between self-declaration towards faith and the ethical attitudes of doctors in an urban environment. The group under investigation (303 persons) differs in respect of sex, age and medical specialization. As to the self-declaration of faith 16,5% of them declared themselves deeply religious, 48.2% — religious, 20.8% — religiously indifferent and 14.5% — irreligious (atheists). The author discusses three groups of problems: 1. The attitude of doctors towards the specific problems of medical ethics, 2. their attitude towards their profession and 3. towards the closest environment (the family, the institution they work in). As regards the first group of problems the majority of the doctors tested pronounced themselves in favour of absolute ethics, at the same time ascribing a great role to conscience as a criterion in the evaluation of moral deeds. Conscience, however, should follow objective criterion of evaluation. In solving the problems of professional ethics the religious doctors show a greater sense of responsibility than the doctors form the remaining categories. The more religious the doctors are, the more often they use objective criterion of evaluation; the more indifferent their attitude towards faith is, the more often they employ subjective criterion. As to the second group of problems the author stages that religious attitudes influence practice to a certain extent, pointing out, at the same time, that in certain cases atheists display moral attitudes similar to those of religious doctors. On the other hand religious indifference influences the moral attitudes of doctors in a negative way. As regards the third group of problems the conflicts among doctors take place in their family environment more often than at work. It has not been noticed that the intensity of conflicts in both environments depends on the type of attitude towards faith.