The Understanding of Informed Consent as a Practical Bioethical Problem

A Case Study of Hospital Pedagogy on Cancer Patients in Cuenca (Ecuador)

Abstract

https://doi.org/10.21860/j.14.2.1

The relationship between the informed consent sheet and education is crucial. Our objective is to highlight how patients’ educational backgrounds impact the ethical rights within medical processes. Some patients face significant challenges in comprehending the significance and contents of the informed consent sheet. It’s likely that they may not fully grasp the potential symptoms resulting from their treatment or even be aware of their inherent rights. This issue isn’t merely psychological but rather a matter of education, requiring a comprehensive approach to educational development. Consequently, it becomes a social issue wherein both education and health play vital roles. This research delves into assessing the patients’ literacy indicators, thereby evaluating their educational backgrounds. We address this within the framework of an ethical problem in hospital pedagogy, integrating educational and philosophical concepts. Employing qualitative analysis, we aim to understand patients’ reading skills by conducting interviews, particularly focusing on circumstances of vulnerability due to illiteracy. These circumstances are categorized based on identified reading capabilities. By intertwining two knowledge domains, we aim to highlight human vulnerabilities that may not always be considered within the technical processes of healthcare workers and are rarely emphasized by educators or philosophers.