Changes in life-views and ethical viewpoints during physiotherapy education

• A life-view can be described an an overall view of man and the world. An individual's life-view can change as a result of attending university. The life-view determines the response to reality and influences decision making and the treatment of other people. The aim of this study is to compare life-views and ethical viewpoints in the same group of physiotherapy students in their first and last semester of study and to describe physiotherapy students' perceptions of the importance of life-views in physiotherapy education. A reliable and valid questionnaire about life-views together with questions covering ethical aspects was used. All physiotherapy students beginning their education at Lund University between 1996 and 1998 answered a questionnaire in their first and last semester of study. The students expressed high agreement with a religious and evolutionary life-view and a low agreement with a scientific life-view in both their first and last semester of study. Amore varied opinion and reduced agreement were shown over time in religious, scientific, and evolutionary life-views. The students were patient-centred in their attitudes at both points in time, and the opinion that quality of life was more important than life increased between their first and last semester of study. The students also were positive toward euthanasia at both points. A life-view was considered important for the practical work as a physiotherapist. Fifty percent of the students were of the opinion that they had changed their life-view during their education to a more accepting and tolerant one and that their ethical awareness had been deepened

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Medicinsk etik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Medical Ethics (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)