Bioethics and anesthesia: a reflexive study of reports published in the Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

There is a great lack of theoretical subsidies to guide ethical principles, specifically in the case of Anesthesiology. The objective of the present study was to analyze the bibliographic production regarding Bioethics in studies published by the Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology between 1999 and 2009.

METHODS

Three studies published between 1999 and 2009 by the Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology were selected. Those studies covered bioethical issues in Anesthesiology or correlated anesthesia and Bioethics. A content analysis was used, according to the model of Bardin.

RESULTS

It was observed that Bioethical ideals were the most predominant issue, especially Principialism (f 23; 23.5%). On the other hand, the class that defines ethics as the cradle of Bioethics obtained the lowest amount of elementary context Units (CU) (f 15, 15.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

In the studies mentioned, Bioethics is considered an ideal to be achieved, facing difficulties to be applied in daily Anesthesia practice. The need of studies that focus on anesthesia and Bioethics more specifically, reflecting problems regarding both subjects, should be emphasized.