1
|
Corcoran E, Bird M, Batchelor R, Ahmed N, Nowland R, Pitman A. The association between social connectedness and euthanasia and assisted suicide and related constructs: systematic review. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:1057. [PMID: 38627694 PMCID: PMC11020194 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18528-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Euthanasia and assisted suicide (EAS) requests are common in countries where they are legal. Loneliness and social isolation are modifiable risk factors for mental illness and suicidal behaviour and are common in terminal illness. Our objective was to summarise available literature to clarify whether these and related measures of social connectedness might contribute to requests for EAS. METHODS We conducted a pre-registered (PROSPERO CRD42019160508) systematic review and narrative synthesis of quantitative literature investigating associations between social connectedness and a) requested/actual EAS, b) attitudes towards EAS, and c) a desire for hastened death (DHD) by searching six databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar) from inception to November 2022, rating eligible peer-reviewed, empirical studies using the QATSO quality assessment tool. RESULTS We identified 37 eligible studies that investigated associations with a) requested/actual EAS (n = 9), b) attitudes to EAS (n = 16), and c) DHD (n = 14), with limited overlap, including 17,359 participants. The majority (62%) were rated at medium/high risk of bias. Focussing our narrative synthesis on the more methodologically sound studies, we found no evidence to support an association between different constructs of social connectedness and requested or actual EAS, and very little evidence to support an association with attitudes to EAS or an association with DHD. CONCLUSIONS Our findings for all age groups are consistent with a those of a previous systematic review focussed on older adults and suggest that poor social connectedness is not a clear risk factor for EAS or for measures more distally related to EAS. However, we acknowledge low study quality in some studies in relation to sampling, unvalidated exposure/outcome measures, cross-sectional design, unadjusted analyses, and multiple testing. Clinical assessment should focus on modifying established risk factors for suicide and EAS, such as hopelessness and depression, as well as improving any distressing aspects of social disconnectedness to improve quality of life. FUNDING UKRI, NIHR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Corcoran
- UCL Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- Oxford Centre for Psychological Health, Oxford, UK
- North East London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Molly Bird
- UCL Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Rachel Batchelor
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, West Sussex, UK
- The Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training and Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Nafiso Ahmed
- UCL Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rebecca Nowland
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Alexandra Pitman
- UCL Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.
- Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rahimian Z, Rahimian L, Lopez‐Castroman J, Ostovarfar J, Fallahi MJ, Nayeri MA, Vardanjani HM. What medical conditions lead to a request for euthanasia? A rapid scoping review. Health Sci Rep 2024; 7:e1978. [PMID: 38515545 PMCID: PMC10955044 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims Euthanasia is a controversial issue related to the right to die. Although euthanasia is mostly requested by terminally sick individuals, even in societies where it is legal, it is unclear what medical conditions lead to euthanasia requests. In this scoping review, we aimed to compile medical conditions for which euthanasia has been requested or performed around the world. Methods The review was preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. Retrieved search results were screened and unrelated documents were excluded. Data on reasons for conducting or requesting euthanasia along with the study type, setting, and publication year were extracted from documents. Human development index and euthanasia legality were also extracted. Major medical fields were used to categorize reported reasons. Group discussions were conducted if needed for this categorization. An electronic search was undertaken in MEDLINE through PubMed for published documents covering the years January 2000 to September 2022. Results Out of 3323 records, a total of 197 papers were included. The most common medical conditions in euthanasia requests are cancer in a terminal phase (45.4%), Alzheimer's disease and dementia (19.8%), constant unbearable physical or mental suffering (19.8%), treatment-resistant mood disorders (12.2%), and advanced cardiovascular disorders (12.2%). Conclusion Reasons for euthanasia are mostly linked to chronic or terminal physical conditions. Psychiatric disorders also lead to a substantial proportion of euthanasia requests. This review can help to identify the features shared by conditions that lead to performing or requesting euthanasia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Rahimian
- Student Research CommitteeShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
- MD‐MPH Department, School of MedicineShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | - Leila Rahimian
- School of DentistryShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | - Jorge Lopez‐Castroman
- Department of Psychiatry, CHU Nîmes & IGFCNRS‐INSERMUniversity of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- CIBERSAMMadridSpain
| | - Jeyran Ostovarfar
- MD‐MPH Department, School of MedicineShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | - Mohammad J. Fallahi
- Thoracic and Vascular Surgery Research CenterShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | - Mohammad A. Nayeri
- Student Research CommitteeShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
- MD‐MPH Department, School of MedicineShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | - Hossein M. Vardanjani
- MD‐MPH Department, School of Medicine, Research Center for Traditional Medicine and History of MedicineShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Scopetti M, Morena D, Padovano M, Manetti F, Di Fazio N, Delogu G, Ferracuti S, Frati P, Fineschi V. Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in Mental Disorders: Ethical Positions in the Debate between Proportionality, Dignity, and the Right to Die. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11101470. [PMID: 37239756 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11101470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The admission of people suffering from psychiatric and neurocognitive disorders to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (E/PAS) in some European and non-European countries represents a controversial issue. In some countries, the initial limitation of E/PAS to cases of severe physical illness with poor prognosis in the short term has been overcome, as it was considered discriminatory; thus, E/PAS has also been made available to subjects suffering from mental disorders. This decision has raised significant ethical questions regarding the capacity and freedom of self-determination; the family, social, and economic contexts; the social consideration of the sense of dignity and the pressure on the judgment of one's personal value; the contextual therapeutic possibilities; the identification of figures involved in the validation and application; as well as the epistemological definitions of the clinical conditions in question. To these issues must be added the situation of legislative vacuum peculiar to different countries and the widespread lack of effective evaluation and control systems. Nonetheless, pessimistic indicators on global health status, availability of care and assistance, aging demographics, and socioeconomic levels suggest that there may be further pressure toward the expansion of such requests. The present paper aims to trace an international overview with the aim of providing ethical support to the debate on the matter. Precisely, the goal is the delimitation of foundations for clinical practice in the complex field of psychiatry between the recognition of the irreversibility of the disease, assessment of the state of physical and mental suffering, as well as the possibility of adopting free and informed choices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Scopetti
- Department of Medical Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy
| | - Donato Morena
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Padovano
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Federico Manetti
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Di Fazio
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Delogu
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Ferracuti
- Department of Human Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Frati
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Vittorio Fineschi
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Vissers S, Dierickx S, Deliens L, Mortier F, Cohen J, Chambaere K. Characteristics and outcomes of peer consultations for assisted dying request assessments: Cross-sectional survey study among attending physicians. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1100353. [PMID: 37064672 PMCID: PMC10090406 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1100353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BackgroundIn most jurisdictions where assisted dying practices are legal, attending physicians must consult another practitioner to assess the patient's eligibility. Consequently, in some jurisdictions, they can rely on the expertise of trained assisted dying consultants (trained consultants). However, these peer consultations remain under-researched. We examined the characteristics and outcomes of peer consultations to assess an assisted dying request with trained consultants, and explored how these characteristics influence the performance of assisted dying.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey in 2019–2020 in Belgium among attending physicians who had consulted a trained consultant for an assisted dying request assessment (N = 904).ResultsThe valid response rate was 56% (502/903). The vast majority of attending physicians (92%) who had consulted a trained consultant were general practitioners. In more than half of the consultations (57%), the patient was diagnosed with cancer. In 66%, the patient was aged 70 or older. Reported as the patients' most important reasons to request assisted dying: suffering without prospect of improving in 49% of the consultations, loss of dignity in 11%, pain in 9%, and tiredness of life in 9%. In the vast majority of consultations (85%), the attending physician consulted the trained consultant because of the expertise, and in nearly half of the consultations (46%) because of the independence. In more than nine out of ten consultations (91%), the consultant gave a positive advice: i.e., substantive requirements for assisted dying were met. Eight out of ten consultations were followed by assisted dying. The likelihood of assisted dying was higher in consultations in which loss of dignity, loss of independence in daily living, or general weakness or tiredness were reasons for the request.ConclusionOur findings indicate that the peer consultation practice with trained consultants is most often embedded in a primary care setting. Moreover, our study corroborates previous research in that assisted dying is performed relatively less frequently in patients with cancer and more often in patients with general deterioration. Our findings suggest that attending physicians hold peer consultations with trained consultants to endorse their own decision-making and to request additional support.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stijn Vissers
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Universiteit Gent, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Universiteit Gent, Ghent, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Stijn Vissers
| | - Sigrid Dierickx
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Universiteit Gent, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Universiteit Gent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Deliens
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Universiteit Gent, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Universiteit Gent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Freddy Mortier
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Universiteit Gent, Brussels, Belgium
- Bioethics Institute Ghent, Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Universiteit Gent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joachim Cohen
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Universiteit Gent, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kenneth Chambaere
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Universiteit Gent, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Universiteit Gent, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ramos-Pozón S, Terribas-Sala N, Falcó-Pegueroles A, Román-Maestre B. Persons with mental disorders and assisted dying practices in Spain: An overview. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW AND PSYCHIATRY 2023; 87:101871. [PMID: 36871498 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijlp.2023.101871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
On 25 June 2021, the Law on Euthanasia in Spain came into force, providing for two modes of helping an individual end their life: euthanasia and/or medically assisted suicide. Among the requisites that a request for euthanasia has to fulfil are that the individual must be suffering a severe, chronic and debilitating condition or a severe and incurable disease, at the same time as that person shows the necessary competence to decide. The possibility exists that a patient suffering mental health problems submits such a request; however, the specific characteristics of a mental health disorder make such a request considerably more complex. In this article, based on a narrative review of the law itself and the related literature, the requisites established under the law are analysed from an ethical-legal perspective with the aim of defining when a request for euthanasia from a person with a mental health disorder may be deemed legitimate and in line with legal provisions. This should help clinicians make rational, reasoned decisions when dealing with a request of this type.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Ramos-Pozón
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Peereboom J. Implications of psychiatric diagnosis for Voluntary Assisted Dying in Victoria. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2023; 57:629-635. [PMID: 36752078 DOI: 10.1177/00048674231154200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Voluntary Assisted Dying is a process whereby terminally ill patients are provided a lethal dose of medication for them to voluntarily ingest to end their life. Victoria, Australia, implemented legislation permitting Voluntary Assisted Dying for terminally ill adult patients with a life expectancy less than 6 months. Ethical dilemmas arise when terminally ill patients with a comorbid mental illness attempt to access Voluntary Assisted Dying because of the complex relationship between psychiatric conditions and suicidal ideation. This paper seeks to investigate the most ethical approach for doctors to respond to such a request by discussing objections raised in other literature to patients with a comorbid psychiatric illness aiming to access Voluntary Assisted Dying in Victoria. To answer this question, objections to terminally ill patients with a comorbid psychiatric illness accessing Voluntary Assisted Dying were found through review of literature. Discussion of these objections centred around unpacking the two historical ethical justifications for Voluntary Assisted Dying: respect for autonomy and relief of suffering. Regarding autonomy, contention focused on competency to make autonomous decisions. Not all psychiatric patients lack competency to decide about Voluntary Assisted Dying, and there are comparable competency assessments used in psychiatry today. Considering suffering, objections related to the authenticity of the intolerable nature of a patient's suffering out of concerns that it has been influenced by their condition, and that the psychiatric illness may still be treatable. However, given suffering is subjective, its perception is not lessened if the source is psychological in nature. Furthermore, it is challenging to justify a position where a patient is forced to spend the last months of their life enduring suffering that has been historically refractory to multiple, genuine treatment efforts. Not all terminally ill patients with a comorbid psychiatric disorder will lack competency to choose Voluntary Assisted Dying, and many will have genuine suffering for which they are requesting Voluntary Assisted Dying. Multidisciplinary, holistic assessments for these patients are not mandated, but would be useful to address the issues, overcome barriers to access and determine that applicants are making an authentic request.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jim Peereboom
- The Centre of Health Equity, School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Mroz S, Deliens L, Cohen J, Chambaere K. Developments after the liberalization of laws concerning assisted dying—experience from Belgium and other countries. DEUTSCHES ÄRZTEBLATT INTERNATIONAL 2022. [DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2022.0378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
8
|
Kious B. Burdening Others. Hastings Cent Rep 2022; 52:15-23. [PMID: 36226883 DOI: 10.1002/hast.1417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Many people are afraid they will, as they age or fall ill, become burdens to others. Some who fear this say they would be willing to hasten their own deaths-engaging in self-sacrifice through suicide, assisted suicide, or euthanasia-to avoid it. Still, some bioethicists and other critics of medical aid in dying reject the idea that fear of being a burden can be a good reason for self-sacrifice. They argue that dependency is nearly universal, emphasize that caregiving is a valuable pursuit, and raise concerns about the impact of aid-in-dying policies on vulnerable groups. After defining what it is to be a burden, articulating why being a burden is morally significant, and, crucially, distinguishing burdensomeness from what I call "mere dependency," I defend the intuition that self-sacrifice can be justified by the desire to avoid being a burden and by the concern for the well-being of one's caregivers that this choice implies.
Collapse
|
9
|
Vissers S, Dierickx S, Chambaere K, Deliens L, Mortier F, Cohen J. Assisted dying request assessments by trained consultants: changes in practice and quality - Repeated cross-sectional surveys (2008-2019). BMJ Support Palliat Care 2022:bmjspcare-2021-003502. [PMID: 35768204 DOI: 10.1136/spcare-2021-003502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To study changes in the peer consultation practice of assessing assisted dying requests and its quality among trained 'Life End Information Forum' (LEIF) consultants in Belgium between 2008 and 2019. METHODS Cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2008 (N=132) and 2019 (N=527) among all registered LEIF consultants. RESULTS The response rate was 75% in 2008 and 57% in 2019. In 2019 compared with 2008, more LEIF consultants were significantly less than 40 years old (25%/10%, p=0.006) and at least 60 years old (34%/20%, p=0.006). In their activities regarding assessments of assisted dying requests over 12 months, we found a significant increase in the number of patients who did not meet the substantive requirements for assisted dying in 2019 compared with 2008 (1-4 patients: 41.1 %/58.8%, p=0.020). In their most recent assessments of an assisted dying request, LEIF consultants in 2019 made significantly more assessments of patients aged 80 years or older than in 2008 (31%/9%, p<0.001), and significantly fewer assessments for patients with cancer (53%/70%, p=0.034). Regarding adherence to quality criteria for consultation, LEIF consultants discussed unbearable suffering (87%/65%, p=0.003) and alternative treatments (palliative: 48 %/13%, p<0.001; curative: 28%/5%, p=0.002) significantly more often with the attending physician. CONCLUSIONS Changes in peer consultation practice and its quality among LEIF consultants likely reflect changes in assisted dying practice in general, as well as changes in LEIF consultations on more complex cases for which LEIF consultants' expertise is required.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stijn Vissers
- End-of-Life Care Research Group (Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sigrid Dierickx
- End-of-Life Care Research Group (Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Kenneth Chambaere
- End-of-Life Care Research Group (Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Deliens
- End-of-Life Care Research Group (Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Freddy Mortier
- End-of-Life Care Research Group (Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
- Bioethics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joachim Cohen
- End-of-Life Care Research Group (Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Marina S, Wainwright T, Pereira HP, Ricou M. Trends in hastened death decision criteria: A review of official reports. Health Policy 2022; 126:643-651. [DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
11
|
Variath C, Climans SA, Edelstein K, Bell JAH. Neuro-oncology clinicians' perspectives on factors affecting brain cancer patients' access to medical assistance in dying: A qualitative study. DEATH STUDIES 2022; 47:296-306. [PMID: 35442866 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2022.2063456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In most jurisdictions where medical assistance in dying (MAiD) is legal, patients must have decision-making capacity. Brain cancer often damages the cognitive networks required to maintain decision-making capacity. Using qualitative methodology guided by a relational ethics conceptual framework, this study explored neuro-oncology clinicians' perspectives on access to and eligibility for MAiD for patients diagnosed with brain cancer. We interviewed 24 neuro-oncology clinicians from 6 countries. Participants described the unique challenges facing brain cancer patients, potentially resulting in their inequitable access to MAiD. The findings highlight the importance of early end-of-life conversations, advance care planning, and access to end-of-life treatment options.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Variath
- Lawrence S Bloomberg School of Nursing, Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Seth A Climans
- Departments of Neurology and Medical Oncology and Hematology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada
| | - Kim Edelstein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jennifer A H Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
De Hert M, Thys E, Catthoor K, Van den Broeck K, Matthys F, Vansteelandt K, Detraux J. Media coverage of Belgium's first criminal case concerning euthanasia for psychiatric patients: A content analysis of Flemish newspapers and magazines. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1050086. [PMID: 36684025 PMCID: PMC9845880 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1050086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Belgium is one of the few countries worldwide where euthanasia on the grounds of unbearable suffering caused by a psychiatric disorder is legally possible. In April 2010 euthanasia was carried out on a 38-year-old Belgian woman with borderline personality disorder and/or autism. After a complaint by the family, three physicians were referred to the Court of Assizes on the charge of "murder by poisoning". METHODS A content analysis of print and online news coverage of the euthanasia case in a selected sample of Flemish newspapers and magazines, published between December 1, 2019 and March 1, 2020, was conducted to analyze the prominence and framing of the euthanasia case, as well as the portrayal of key figures in this case. A quantitative analysis, as well as an in-depth qualitative analysis (with the aid of NVivo 1.0 software) was performed. RESULTS One thousand two hundred fifteen news articles were identified through database searching. Of these, 789 articles were included after screening for relevance and eligibility. Mean prominence scores were moderate and did not statistically significantly differ between newspapers with a different historical ideological background or form (elite versus popular). The most frequent headline topics featured legal aspects (relating to the Belgian Euthanasia Law or the course of the trial). Headlines and content of most articles (90 and 89%, respectively) did not contain an essential standpoint on the euthanasia case itself or, if they did, were neutral. Historical ideological background, nor form of newspaper (elite versus popular) significantly influenced headline tone or article direction toward the euthanasia case. Despite this, our qualitative analysis showed some subtle differences in selection, statement or tonality of reports between certain newspapers with a different historical ideological background. CONCLUSION Although major Flemish newspapers and magazines generally were neutral in their coverage of the judicial case, major points of contention discussed were: the need for an evaluation and possible amendments to the existing Euthanasia Law, including a revision of the Belgian Control Commission and the system of penalties for physicians, and the absence of any consensus or guidance on how to define psychological suffering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marc De Hert
- University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Center for Clinical Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.,Antwerp Health Law and Ethics Chair - AHLEC University Antwerpen, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Erik Thys
- Psycho-Sociaal Centrum, St.-Alexius-Elsene Vzw, Ixelles, Belgium
| | - Kirsten Catthoor
- Ziekenhuis Netwerk Antwerpen (ZNA), Antwerp, Belgium.,The Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI) and Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Flemish Psychiatric Association, Kortenberg, Belgium
| | - Kris Van den Broeck
- The Collaborative Antwerp Psychiatric Research Institute (CAPRI) and Family Medicine and Population Health (FAMPOP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.,Flemish Psychiatric Association, Kortenberg, Belgium
| | - Frieda Matthys
- Flemish Psychiatric Association, Kortenberg, Belgium.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kristof Vansteelandt
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Research Group Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Detraux
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Public Health Psychiatry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Selby D, Chan B, Nolen A. Characteristics of Older Adults Accessing Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD): a Descriptive Study. Can Geriatr J 2021; 24:312-318. [PMID: 34912485 PMCID: PMC8629503 DOI: 10.5770/cgj.24.520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) is an end-of-life option for Canadians accounting for 2% of all deaths in Canada in 2019. Adults over 80 years old represent a significant proportion of these deaths, yet little is known about how they compare with their younger counterparts. Methods This study retrospectively reviewed our tertiary care institution’s MAiD database to compare MAiD recipients <65, 65–80, and >80 years of age. Extracted data included basic demographics, illness characteristics, functional status, social living arrangements/contacts, and outcomes of MAiD assessments. Results Of 267 patients assessed for MAiD, 38.2% were over 80. Compared to the younger groups, those over 80 were more likely to be female, to live alone, and to be widowed; however, they did not self-identify as ‘socially isolated’. The majority fit into the illness categories of malignancy, cardiopulmonary or neurologic diseases, but those over 80 were more likely to have other more chronic/subacute conditions leading to the MAiD request. Conclusions Older adults accessing MAiD are distinct in that they tend to be increasingly frail and without a predominant underlying diagnosis as compared with younger adults, but rather have an accumulation of losses resulting in global functional decline and subsequent loss of autonomy and independence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debbie Selby
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, ON.,Department of Medicine Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, ON
| | - Brandon Chan
- Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON
| | - Amy Nolen
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, ON
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
The Attitude of Iranian Critical Care Nurses Toward Euthanasia: A Multicenter Cross-sectional Study. Crit Care Nurs Q 2021; 45:62-73. [PMID: 34818299 DOI: 10.1097/cnq.0000000000000389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Today, one of the major ethical challenges facing the world's health care system, and in particular nurses in the intensive care unit, is euthanasia or death out of pity. The aim of this study was to investigate the attitude of Iranian nurses in the intensive care unit toward euthanasia. This was an analytical cross-sectional study using census sampling. The data collection tool was the Euthanasia Attitude Scale. A total of 206 nurses working in the intensive care unit in 4 hospitals in the Mazandaran province of Iran were included in this study. The mean of total Euthanasia Attitude Scale score in intensive care unit nurses was 2.96. The mean euthanasia dimensions were ethical consideration, practical considerations, treasuring life, and naturalistic beliefs, 3.03, 2.92, 2.98, and 2.99, respectively. There was significant but low negative correlation between age and total Euthanasia Attitude Scale score, ethical considerations, and practical considerations. Male nurses exhibited significantly higher Euthanasia Attitude Scale scores, specifically in regard to ethical and practical considerations compared with female nurses. The most Iranian nurses in the intensive care unit had a negative attitude toward euthanasia for patients in the later stages of the disease. However, this opposition was less than similar studies in Iran in the past.
Collapse
|
15
|
Navigating medical assistance in dying from Bill C-14 to Bill C-7: a qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:1195. [PMID: 34736463 PMCID: PMC8567982 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-07222-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Even as healthcare providers and systems were settling into the processes required for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) under Bill C-14, new legislation was introduced (Bill C-7) that extended assisted death to persons whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable. The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of nurses and nurse practitioners with the implementation and ongoing development of this transition. Methods This qualitative longitudinal descriptive study gathered data through semi-structured telephone interviews with nurses from across Canada; cross sectional data from 2020 to 2021 is reported here. The study received ethical approval and all participants provided written consent. Findings Participants included nurses (n = 34) and nurse practitioners (n = 16) with significant experience with MAID. Participants described how MAID had transitioned from a new, secretive, and anxiety-producing procedure to one that was increasingly visible and normalized, although this normalization did not necessarily mitigate the emotional impact. MAID was becoming more accessible, and participants were learning to trust the process. However, the work was becoming increasingly complex, labour intensive, and often poorly remunerated. Although many participants described a degree of integration between MAID and palliative care services, there remained ongoing tensions around equitable access to both. Participants described an evolving gestalt of determining persons’ eligibility for MAID that required a high degree of clinical judgement. Deeming someone ineligible was intensely stressful for all involved and so participants had learned to be resourceful in avoiding this possibility. The required 10-day waiting period was difficult emotionally, particularly if persons worried about losing capacity to give final consent. The implementation of C-7 was perceived to be particularly challenging due to the nature of the population that would seek MAID and the resultant complexity of trying to address the origins of their suffering within a resource-strapped system. Conclusions Significant social and system calibration must occur to accommodate assisted death as an end-of-life option. The transition to offering MAID for those whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable will require intensive navigation of a sometimes siloed and inaccessible system. High quality MAID care should be both relational and dialogical and those who provide such care require expert communication skills and knowledge of the healthcare system. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-021-07222-5.
Collapse
|
16
|
Grogan J, Simmons Z. Physician-hastened death in California for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Part of a bigger picture. Muscle Nerve 2021; 64:381-384. [PMID: 34368965 DOI: 10.1002/mus.27388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James Grogan
- Department of Neurology, Penn State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Zachary Simmons
- Department of Neurology, Penn State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Salinas Mengual J. Relationship Between COVID-19, Euthanasia and Old Age: A Study from a Legal-Ethical Perspective. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2021; 60:2250-2284. [PMID: 34014474 PMCID: PMC8136265 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-021-01280-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The global pandemic situation created by COVID-19 leaves many questions open in areas as diverse as politics, economics, society and ethics. The scarcity of health resources and the use that has been made of these by some governments raises the question of whether the distribution of health resources has been equitable, or whether the allocation of health resources depended on criteria such as age. The present work investigates whether those countries or geographical areas where euthanasia is legalized, decriminalized or socially accepted, have followed selective policies limiting access to healthcare by the elderly, thus undermining what is understood as quality of life.
Collapse
|
18
|
Willmott L, White B, Feeney R, Chambaere K, Yates P, Mitchell G, Piper D. Collecting data on end-of-life decision-making: Questionnaire translation, adaptation and validity assessment. PROGRESS IN PALLIATIVE CARE 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09699260.2021.1922795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lindy Willmott
- Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Ben White
- Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Rachel Feeney
- Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kenneth Chambaere
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Patsy Yates
- School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Geoffrey Mitchell
- Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Donella Piper
- Business School, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Calati R, Olié E, Dassa D, Gramaglia C, Guillaume S, Madeddu F, Courtet P. Euthanasia and assisted suicide in psychiatric patients: A systematic review of the literature. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 135:153-173. [PMID: 33486164 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The number of psychiatric patients requesting Euthanasia or Assisted Suicide (EAS) continues to increase. The aims of this systematic review were to: 1) describe the available data related to psychiatric patients having received or requesting EAS (pEAS) for each country in which is allowed; 2) and describe the ethically salient points that arise. PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases were searched to identify articles published up to September 2020. Among the retrieved publications, only studies on pEAS cases (pEAS-C), pEAS requests, or physician reports/attitude towards pEAS reporting some quantitative data on patients having received or requesting pEAS were retained. Among the 24 included studies, thirteen (54%) were about pEAS in the Netherlands, four (17%) in Belgium, and seven (29%) in Switzerland. Results were different across different countries. In the Netherlands, pEAS-C were mostly women (70-77%) and often had at least two psychiatric disorders (56-97%). Mood disorders were mainly represented (55-70%) together with personality disorders (52-54%). History of suicide attempts was present in 34-52%. Moreover, 37-62% of them had at least one comorbid medical condition. In Belgium pEAS-C were mostly women (75%), but the majority (71%) had a single diagnosis, mood disorder. In Switzerland available data were less detailed. As pEAS-C seem to be very similar to 'traditional suicides', pEAS procedures should be carefully revised to establish specific criteria of access and guidelines of evaluation of the request. A deeper focus on unbearable suffering, decision capacity and possibilities of improvements is warranted as well as the involvement of mental health professionals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Calati
- Department of Psychology, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy; Department of Adult Psychiatry, Nîmes University Hospital, Nîmes, France; PSNREC, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France.
| | - Emilie Olié
- PSNREC, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
| | - Déborah Dassa
- PSNREC, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Carla Gramaglia
- Department of Translational Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy; Psychiatry Ward, Maggiore della Carità University Hospital, Novara, Italy
| | - Sébastien Guillaume
- PSNREC, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
| | - Fabio Madeddu
- Department of Psychology, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Philippe Courtet
- PSNREC, University of Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; Department of Emergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France; FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Cheung G, Martinez-Ruiz A, Knell R, O'Callaghan A, Guthrie DM. Factors Associated With Terminally Ill People Who Want to Die. J Pain Symptom Manage 2020; 60:539-548.e1. [PMID: 32305576 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT The decision to request and proceed with euthanasia or physician-assisted dying is complex, and predictors of such decisions are heterogeneous with regard to physical health, psychological, and social factors. Local research is therefore needed. OBJECTIVES To examine the interplay of demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors routinely collected by a standardized clinical instrument, the interRAI Resident Assessment Instrument for Palliative Care (interRAI-PC), in people with a prognosis of less than 12 months who wanted to die. METHODS All New Zealanders who had an interRAI-PC in 2018 were included. The outcome variable was the single item Wants to die now. Independent variables included biopsychosocial factors and health index scales generated by interRAI-PC. A binary logistic regression was used to determine the predictive factors of Wants to die now (yes vs. no). RESULTS There were 771 individuals included (mean age 76.0 years; SD 11.6; female 50.1%); 9.3% of whom reported yes to Wants to die now, 59.8% no, and for 30.9%, the assessor was unable to determine. The factors with the largest odds ratios (ORs) were awareness of terminal prognosis (OR 4.8; 95% CI 2.2-10.3), high level of depression (OR 4.6; 95% CI 1.7-12.6), not finding meaning in day-to-day life (OR 3.8; 95% CI 1.8-8.1), and pain (less than severe: OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.3-10.4 and severe to excruciating: OR 3.5; 95% CI 1.1-10.7). CONCLUSION Addressing the significant factors we identified should form part of a multidisciplinary assessment when terminally ill patients express a wish to die, to ensure their physical, psychological, and existential needs are adequately met.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gary Cheung
- Department of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Adrian Martinez-Ruiz
- Department of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; National Institute of Geriatrics, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rebecca Knell
- Department of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Anne O'Callaghan
- Department of Psychological Medicine, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Dawn M Guthrie
- Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; Department of Health Science, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
van Veen SMP, Ruissen AM, Widdershoven GAM. Irremediable Psychiatric Suffering in the Context of Physician-assisted Death: A Scoping Review of Arguments: La souffrance psychiatrique irrémédiable dans le contexte du suicide assisté : Une revue étendue des arguments. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2020; 65:593-603. [PMID: 32427501 PMCID: PMC7457463 DOI: 10.1177/0706743720923072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Physician-assisted death (PAD), also known as medical assistance in dying, of patients with a psychiatric disorder (PPD) is a global issue of debate. In most jurisdictions that allow PAD, irremediable suffering is a legal requirement, how to apply the concept of irremediability to PPD remains challenging. The aim of this article is to identify the main arguments concerning irremediability in the debate about PAD of PPD and give directions for further moral deliberation and empirical research. METHODS Systematic searches in MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO were combined with 4 additional search strategies. All conceptual-ethical articles, quantitative and qualitative empirical studies, guidelines, case reports, and commentaries that met the inclusion criteria were included, and a qualitative data synthesis was used to identify recurring themes within the literature. The study protocol was preregistered at the Open Science Framework under registration code: thjg8. RESULTS A total of 50 articles met the inclusion criteria. Three main arguments concerning irremediability were found in the debate about PAD of PPD: uncertainty, hope, and treatment refusal. CONCLUSIONS Uncertainty about irremediability is inevitable, so which level of certainty is morally required should be the subject of moral deliberation. Whether PAD induces or resolves hopelessness is an empirical claim that deserves clarification. Treatment refusal in search of PAD raises questions about treatment efficacy in this patient group and about decision-making in the context of the physician-patient relationship. Going forward, more attention should be given to epidemiological research and to specific challenges posed by different psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sisco M. P. van Veen
- Department of Medical Humanities, University Medical Centre
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, the
Netherlands
| | - Andrea M. Ruissen
- Department of Medical Humanities, University Medical Centre
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Haaglanden MC, the Hague, the Netherlands
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Konder RM, Christie T. Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in Canada: A Critical Analysis of the Exclusion of Vulnerable Populations. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 15:28-38. [PMID: 32077843 PMCID: PMC7020802 DOI: 10.12927/hcpol.2019.26073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Canadian medical assistance in dying (MAiD) legislation was introduced in 2016. Although Bill C-14 attempted to balance patient autonomy and the protection of the vulnerable, recent court challenges suggest that an ideal balance has not been achieved. Numerous advocacy initiatives as well as a parliamentary review currently focus on three specific populations: mature minors, patients requesting MAiD via an advance directive and patients with a mental illness as the sole underlying condition. This article approaches these issues from an ethical and legal lens. We first outline a policy review on existing MAiD legislation in 11 jurisdictions. We then use the Oakes test (a critical assessment tool in the Carter v Canada case) to determine whether the restrictions on the three above-mentioned groups are consistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Finally, we consult our literature review to propose reasonable solutions that would be more consistent with the Charter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ricarda M Konder
- Medical Student, Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick, Saint John, NB
| | - Timothy Christie
- Director of Ethics Services (Authority B) for Horizon Health, Saint John, NB
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Bellens M, Debien E, Claessens F, Gastmans C, Dierckx de Casterlé B. “It is still intense and not unambiguous.” Nurses' experiences in the euthanasia care process 15 years after legalisation. J Clin Nurs 2019; 29:492-502. [DOI: 10.1111/jocn.15110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/10/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marthe Bellens
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care Academic Centre for Nursing and Midwifery KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Elisa Debien
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care Academic Centre for Nursing and Midwifery KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Fien Claessens
- Leuven Institute for Healthcare Policy KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Chris Gastmans
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Evenblij K, Pasman HRW, van der Heide A, van Delden JJM, Onwuteaka-Philipsen BD. Public and physicians' support for euthanasia in people suffering from psychiatric disorders: a cross-sectional survey study. BMC Med Ethics 2019; 20:62. [PMID: 31510976 PMCID: PMC6737595 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-019-0404-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Although euthanasia and assisted suicide (EAS) in people with psychiatric disorders is relatively rare, the increasing incidence of EAS requests has given rise to public and political debate. This study aimed to explore support of the public and physicians for euthanasia and assisted suicide in people with psychiatric disorders and examine factors associated with acceptance and conceivability of performing EAS in these patients. Methods A survey was distributed amongst a random sample of Dutch 2641 citizens (response 75%) and 3000 physicians (response 52%). Acceptance and conceivability of performing EAS, demographics, health status and professional characteristics were measured. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Of the general public 53% were of the opinion that people with psychiatric disorders should be eligible for EAS, 15% was opposed to this, and 32% remained neutral. Higher educational level, Dutch ethnicity, and higher urbanization level were associated with higher acceptability of EAS whilst a religious life stance and good health were associated with lower acceptability. The percentage of physicians who considered performing EAS in people with psychiatric disorders conceivable ranged between 20% amongst medical specialists and 47% amongst general practitioners. Having received EAS requests from psychiatric patients before was associated with considering performing EAS conceivable. Being female, religious, medical specialist, or psychiatrist were associated with lower conceivability. The majority (> 65%) of the psychiatrists were of the opinion that it is possible to establish whether a psychiatric patient’s suffering is unbearable and without prospect and whether the request is well-considered. Conclusion The general public shows more support than opposition as to whether patients suffering from a psychiatric disorder should be eligible for EAS, even though one third of the respondents remained neutral. Physicians’ support depends on their specialization; 39% of psychiatrists considered performing EAS in psychiatric patients conceivable. The relatively low conceivability is possibly explained by psychiatric patients often not meeting the eligibility criteria. Supplementary information Supplementary information accompanies this paper at 10.1186/s12910-019-0404-8.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Evenblij
- Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, P.O. Box 7057, 1007, MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - H Roeline W Pasman
- Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, P.O. Box 7057, 1007, MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Agnes van der Heide
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes J M van Delden
- Department of Medical Humanities, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen
- Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health research institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, P.O. Box 7057, 1007, MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wilson DM, Triscott JAC, Cohen J, MacLeod R. Educational needs of healthcare professionals and members of the general public in Alberta Canada, 2 years after the implementation of medical assistance in dying. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2019; 27:1295-1302. [PMID: 31149763 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Medical assistance in dying (MAID) was implemented across Canada in June of 2016, after each Canadian province and territory had developed their own MAID processes. Over the first 2 years, just under 300 Alberta citizens received MAID services, a very small proportion (<0.5%) of all 52,000 decedents. An online 2017-2018 survey of Alberta healthcare providers and members of the general public was conducted to assess and compare their knowledge of MAID. A devised brief survey tool was posted online, with broad-based advertising for voluntary participants. The survey was taken down after 282 Albertans had participated (100+ healthcare professionals and 100+ members of the general public), a non-representative sample. Through SPSS data analysis, educational needs were clearly evident as only 30.5% knew the correct approximate number of MAID deaths to date, 33.0% correctly identified the point in life when MAID can be done, 48.9% correctly identified the locations where MAID can be performed, 49.3% correctly identified who can stop MAID from being carried out, and 52.8% correctly identified how MAID is performed to end life. Healthcare professionals were significantly more often correct; as were participants born in Canada, university degree holders, working persons, those who identified a religion, had experience with death and dying care, had direct prior experience with death hastening, thought adults had a right to request and receive MAID, had past experience with animal euthanasia, and had hospice/palliative education or work experience. Age, gender, and having previously worked or lived in a country where assisted suicide or euthanasia was performed were not significant for educational needs. These findings indicate new approaches to meet sudden assisted suicide educational needs are needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Donna M Wilson
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
- Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jean A C Triscott
- Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Joachim Cohen
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije University Brussels (VUB) and Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rod MacLeod
- Sydney Medical School (Northern) University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- HammondCare, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Bos DC, de Graaf E, de Graeff A, Teunissen SCCM. Determinants of unbearable suffering in hospice patients who died due to Euthanasia: A retrospective cohort study. DEATH STUDIES 2019; 45:451-458. [PMID: 31390320 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2019.1648338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this retrospective study, determinants of unbearable suffering in hospice patients who died due to euthanasia were analyzed. The four dimensions of suffering (physical, psychological, social, and existential) were used as a framework. 28 patients (5% of all admitted patients in nine years) were included. Most patients indicated 3-5 determinants, predominantly a combination of physical (96% of patients) and existential determinants (89%). Fatigue, anorexia, and dry mouth were the most prevalent and severe symptoms. Psychological (21%) and social determinants (4%) were much less often described. The results of this study may be used to assess determinants playing a role in euthanasia requests.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dieuwke C Bos
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Everlien de Graaf
- Center of Expertise in Palliative Care, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander de Graeff
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Academic Hospice Demeter, De Bilt, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia C C M Teunissen
- Center of Expertise in Palliative Care, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Academic Hospice Demeter, De Bilt, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kane A. ‘How Can Anyone Live Like That?’ Exploring the Conscious and Unconscious Implications for Disabled People of any Change in Assisted Suicide Law. BRITISH JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTHERAPY 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/bjp.12447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
|
28
|
Evenblij K, Pasman HRW, van der Heide A, Hoekstra T, Onwuteaka-Philipsen BD. Factors associated with requesting and receiving euthanasia: a nationwide mortality follow-back study with a focus on patients with psychiatric disorders, dementia, or an accumulation of health problems related to old age. BMC Med 2019; 17:39. [PMID: 30777057 PMCID: PMC6379969 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-019-1276-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, euthanasia and assisted suicide (EAS) in patients with psychiatric disorders, dementia, or an accumulation of health problems has taken a prominent place in the public debate. However, limited is known about this practice. The purpose of this study was threefold: to estimate the frequency of requesting and receiving EAS among people with (also) a psychiatric disorder, dementia, or an accumulation of health problems; to explore reasons for physicians to grant or refuse a request; and to describe differences in characteristics, including the presence of psychiatric disorders, dementia, and accumulation of health problems, between patients who did and did not request EAS and between patients whose request was or was not granted. METHODS A nationwide cross-sectional survey study was performed. A stratified sample of death certificates of patients who died between 1 August and 1 December 2015 was drawn from the central death registry of Statistics Netherlands. Questionnaires were sent to the certifying physician (n = 9351, response 78%). Only deceased patients aged ≥ 17 years and who died a non-sudden death were included in the analyses (n = 5361). RESULTS The frequency of euthanasia requests among deceased people who died non-suddenly and with (also) a psychiatric disorder (11.4%), dementia (2.1%), or an accumulation of health problems (8.0%) varied. Factors positively associated with requesting euthanasia were age (< 80 years), ethnicity (Dutch/Western), cause of death (cancer), attending physician (general practitioner), and involvement of a pain specialist or psychiatrist. Cause of death (neurological disorders, another cause) and attending physician (general practitioner) were also positively associated with receiving euthanasia. Psychiatric disorders, dementia, and/or an accumulation of health problems were negatively associated with both requesting and receiving euthanasia. CONCLUSIONS EAS in deceased patients with psychiatric disorders, dementia, and/or an accumulation of health problems is relatively rare. Partly, this can be explained by the belief that the due care criteria cannot be met. Another explanation is that patients with these conditions are less likely to request EAS.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Evenblij
- Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - H Roeline W Pasman
- Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Agnes van der Heide
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Trynke Hoekstra
- Department of Health Sciences, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen
- Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Bélanger E, Towers A, Wright DK, Chen Y, Tradounsky G, Macdonald ME. Of dilemmas and tensions: a qualitative study of palliative care physicians' positions regarding voluntary active euthanasia in Quebec, Canada. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2019; 45:48-53. [PMID: 30377217 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2017-104339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 07/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In 2015, the Province of Quebec, Canada passed a law that allowed voluntary active euthanasia (VAE). Palliative care stakeholders in Canada have been largely opposed to euthanasia, yet there is little research about their views. The research question guiding this study was the following: How do palliative care physicians in Quebec position themselves regarding the practice of VAE in the context of the new provincial legislation? METHODS We used interpretive description, an inductive methodology to answer research questions about clinical practice. A total of 18 palliative care physicians participated in semistructured interviews at two university-affiliated hospitals in Quebec. RESULTS Participants positioned themselves in opposition to euthanasia. Their justifications were framed within their professional commitment to not hasten death, which sat in tension with the value of patients' autonomy to choose how to die. Participants described VAE as unacceptable if it impeded opportunities to evaluate and alleviate suffering. Further, they contested government rhetoric that positioned VAE as a way to improve end-of-life care. Participants felt that VAE would diminish the potential of palliative care to relieve suffering. Dilemmas were apparent in their narratives, about reconciling respect for patient autonomy with broader palliative care values, and the value of accompanying and not abandoning patients who make requests for VAE while being committed to neither prolonging nor hastening death. CONCLUSIONS This study provides insight into nuanced positions of experienced palliative care physicians in Quebec and confirms expected tensions between an important stakeholder and the practice of VAE as guided by the new legislation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Bélanger
- Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research, Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Anna Towers
- Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Yuexi Chen
- Palliative Care McGill, McGill University Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Golda Tradounsky
- Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Dierickx S, Cohen J, Vander Stichele R, Deliens L, Chambaere K. Drugs Used for Euthanasia: A Repeated Population-Based Mortality Follow-Back Study in Flanders, Belgium, 1998-2013. J Pain Symptom Manage 2018; 56:551-559. [PMID: 30009965 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2018.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT According to guideline recommendations, barbiturates and neuromuscular relaxants are the recommended drugs for euthanasia. OBJECTIVES To describe changes over time in drugs used to perform euthanasia and differences in case characteristics according to the drugs used. METHODS Repeated population-based mortality follow-back study among physicians attending a large representative sample of deaths in 1998, 2007, and 2013 in Flanders, Belgium. RESULTS In 1998, we identified 25 euthanasia cases (1.2% of all deaths), 142 cases in 2007 (2.0% of all deaths), and 349 cases in 2013 (4.6% of all deaths). Use of recommended drugs to perform euthanasia increased from 11.9% of euthanasia cases in 1998 to 55.3% in 2007 and 66.8% in 2013 (P < 0.001). In 2013, cases with recommended drugs compared with nonrecommended drugs more often involved requests expressed both orally and in writing (86.8%/14.1%; P < 0.001), consultation with colleague physicians (93.8%/69.1%; P < 0.001), and administration in the presence of another physician (98.3%/54.3%; P < 0.001), and were more often self-labeled by physicians as euthanasia (95.5%/0.9%; P < 0.001) and reported to the euthanasia review committee (92.3%/3.8%; P < 0.001). Between 2007 and 2013, physicians consistently labeled cases in which nonrecommended drugs were used as palliative sedation (72.8%/78.4%; P = 0.791) or alleviation of pain and symptoms (13.2%/15.0%; P > 0.999). CONCLUSION Physicians in Flanders are increasingly using the recommended drugs for euthanasia. This suggests that guidelines and training regarding the conduct and pharmacological aspects of euthanasia may have had important effects on the practice of euthanasia. However, the declining but persisting use of nonrecommended drugs requires further attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid Dierickx
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Joachim Cohen
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Robert Vander Stichele
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium; Heymans Institute of Pharmacology, Ghent University, Ghent
| | - Luc Deliens
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent
| | - Kenneth Chambaere
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Sprung CL, Somerville MA, Radbruch L, Collet NS, Duttge G, Piva JP, Antonelli M, Sulmasy DP, Lemmens W, Ely EW. Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia. J Palliat Care 2018; 33:197-203. [DOI: 10.1177/0825859718777325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Medical professional societies have traditionally opposed physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia (PAS-E), but this opposition may be shifting. We present 5 reasons why physicians shouldn’t be involved in PAS-E. 1. Slippery slopes: There is evidence that safeguards in the Netherlands and Belgium are ineffective and violated, including administering lethal drugs without patient consent, absence of terminal illness, untreated psychiatric diagnoses, and nonreporting; 2. Lack of self-determination: Psychological and social motives characterize requests for PAS-E more than physical symptoms or rational choices; many requests disappear with improved symptom control and psychological support; 3. Inadequate palliative care: Better palliative care makes most patients physically comfortable. Many individuals requesting PAS-E don’t want to die but to escape their suffering. Adequate treatment for depression and pain decreases the desire for death; 4. Medical professionalism: PAS-E transgresses the inviolable rule that physicians heal and palliate suffering but never intentionally inflict death; 5. Differences between means and ends: Proeuthanasia advocates look to the ends (the patient’s death) and say the ends justify the means; opponents disagree and believe that killing patients to relieve suffering is different from allowing natural death and is not acceptable. Conclusions: Physicians have a duty to eliminate pain and suffering, not the person with the pain and suffering. Solutions for suffering lie in improving palliative care and social conditions and addressing the reasons for PAS-E requests. They should not include changing medical practice to allow PAS-E.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles L. Sprung
- General Intensive Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Margaret A. Somerville
- Professor of Bioethics, School of Medicine, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney, Australia; Samuel Gale Professor of Law Emerita, Professor Faculty of Medicine Emerita, Founding Director of the Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law Emerita, McGill University Montreal, Canada
| | - Lukas Radbruch
- Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Gunnar Duttge
- Center for Medical Law, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jefferson P. Piva
- Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), Medical Director-Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care, Department H Clinicas P. Alegre, Brazil
| | - Massimo Antonelli
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore—Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniel P. Sulmasy
- Kennedy Institute of Ethics and Pellegrino Center, Departments of Medicine and Philosophy, Georgetown University, Washington D.C., United States
| | - Willem Lemmens
- Department of Philosophy, Centre for Ethics, University of Antwerp, Belgium
| | - E. Wesley Ely
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Veteran’s Affair TN Valley Geriatric Research Education Clinical Center (GRECC), Nashville, TN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Steck N, Junker C, Zwahlen M. Increase in assisted suicide in Switzerland: did the socioeconomic predictors change? Results from the Swiss National Cohort. BMJ Open 2018; 8:e020992. [PMID: 29666138 PMCID: PMC5905761 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-020992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether the strong increase in assisted suicides in Switzerland since 2008 is linked to a shift in the socioeconomic factors associated with assisted suicide and its related diagnoses. METHODS In a population-based longitudinal study, we investigated assisted suicides in Switzerland over the period 2003-2014. Two groups of younger (25-64 years) and older (65-94 years) persons were analysed separately and compared. We calculated crude rates and used Cox proportional hazard and logistic regression models to examine associations of assisted dying with gender, marital status, education, religion, neighbourhood socioeconomic status and other variables, and investigated trends over time. RESULTS We identified 3941 assisted suicides among 6 237 997 Swiss residents, 80% of which occurred in the older age group. Crude rates of assisted suicide more than tripled during the study period from 3.60 to 11.21 per 100 000 person-years; the increase was more pronounced in the older age group. Cancer was the most common underlying diagnosis (41.8%), but the percentage dying assisted was highest among patients with diseases of the nervous system (5.25% in the younger and 1.23% in the older age group). The factors associated with assisted suicide did not change during the study period. Female gender, higher education, having no religious affiliation, no children and a Swiss passport, living in a neighbourhood with a higher socioeconomic index and living in the French-speaking part of Switzerland were associated with a higher rate. CONCLUSIONS The study results do not indicate any shift in socioeconomic factors associated with assisted suicide, but a more pronounced increase in incidence among the elderly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Steck
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Marcel Zwahlen
- Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Hosseinzadeh K, Rafiei H. Nursing Student Attitudes toward Euthanasia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Nurs Ethics 2017; 26:496-503. [DOI: 10.1177/0969733017718393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: Euthanasia is among the most common and controversial end-of-life care issues. Examining the attitudes of nursing students to this issue is important because they may well encounter these issues during the course of their clinical placements. Research aims: This study aims to examine the attitudes of a sample of Iranian nursing students towards euthanasia. Research design: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Participants and research context: Using convenience sampling, 382 Muslim nursing students were enrolled in this study. Methods: Data were collected using a demographic variables checklist and a self-administered questionnaire that included a definition of euthanasia and 11 closed questions that sought to record participants’ level of agreement with euthanasia based on a Likert scale. Ethical consideration: Consent for participation was implicit, indicated by the participants having returned the completed questionnaires. Participants were assured that their data would remain anonymous, be kept confidential and be stored safely. Findings: Of the 382 participants, 61.5% were female, and the remainder were male. The mean age was 62.6 ± 14.1 years (range: 32–91 years). In total, 34.2%, 41.6% and 24% of students reported a negative, neutral and positive attitude to euthanasia, respectively. Most students with clinical experience, and 38.5% of students with no clinical experience, indicated their agreement with active euthanasia. Discussion: There are a number of misconceptions among Iranian Muslim nursing students regarding the definition of euthanasia. Nonetheless, most students exhibit positive attitudes to euthanasia consistent with their clinical experiences. Conclusion: It is recommended to explore the factors that induced nursing students’ tendency to euthanasia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazem Hosseinzadeh
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| | - Hossein Rafiei
- Student Research Center, School Of Nursing and Midwifery, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Dierickx S, Deliens L, Cohen J, Chambaere K. Euthanasia for people with psychiatric disorders or dementia in Belgium: analysis of officially reported cases. BMC Psychiatry 2017; 17:203. [PMID: 28641576 PMCID: PMC5481967 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-017-1369-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Euthanasia for people who are not terminally ill, such as those suffering from psychiatric disorders or dementia, is legal in Belgium under strict conditions but remains a controversial practice. As yet, the prevalence of euthanasia for people with psychiatric disorders or dementia has not been studied and little is known about the characteristics of the practice. This study aims to report on the trends in prevalence and number of euthanasia cases with a psychiatric disorder or dementia diagnosis in Belgium and demographic, clinical and decision-making characteristics of these cases. METHODS We analysed the anonymous databases of euthanasia cases reported to the Federal Control and Evaluation Committee Euthanasia from the implementation of the euthanasia law in Belgium in 2002 until the end of 2013. The databases we received provided the information on all euthanasia cases as registered by the Committee from the official registration forms. Only those with one or more psychiatric disorders or dementia and no physical disease were included in the analysis. RESULTS We identified 179 reported euthanasia cases with a psychiatric disorder or dementia as the sole diagnosis. These consisted of mood disorders (N = 83), dementia (N = 62), other psychiatric disorders (N = 22) and mood disorders accompanied by another psychiatric disorder (N = 12). The proportion of euthanasia cases with a psychiatric disorder or dementia diagnosis was 0.5% of all cases reported in the period 2002-2007, increasing from 2008 onwards to 3.0% of all cases reported in 2013. The increase in the absolute number of cases is particularly evident in cases with a mood disorder diagnosis. The majority of cases concerned women (58.1% in dementia to 77.1% in mood disorders). All cases were judged to have met the legal requirements by the Committee. CONCLUSIONS While euthanasia on the grounds of unbearable suffering caused by a psychiatric disorder or dementia remains a comparatively limited practice in Belgium, its prevalence has risen since 2008. If, as this study suggests, people with psychiatric conditions or dementia are increasingly seeking access to euthanasia, the development of practice guidelines is all the more desirable if physicians are to respond adequately to these highly delicate requests.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid Dierickx
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Luc Deliens
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
- Department of Medical Oncology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joachim Cohen
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Kenneth Chambaere
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) & Ghent University, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
LiPuma SH, DeMarco JP. Reply to Commentary on Our Paper "Palliative Care and Patient Autonomy.". Health Serv Insights 2017; 10:1178632917710022. [PMID: 28615955 PMCID: PMC5462553 DOI: 10.1177/1178632917710022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel H LiPuma
- Department of Liberal Arts, Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Joseph P DeMarco
- Department of Philosophy, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| |
Collapse
|