Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon — The Second Year

Sullivan, Amy D.; Hedberg, Katrina; Fleming, David W.

doi:10.1056/nejm200002243420822

Cited by 215 publications

(124 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…In many circles, the term "death with dignity" is synonymous with the right to assisted suicide and euthanasia. 62,[67][68][69][70] Several studies have reported that loss of dignity is very closely linked to why patients have either sought or, in some instances, received deathhastening assistance. 62,69 -71 According to a US survey of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, loss of dignity was the reason cited by physicians in 53% of cases where prescriptions had been written for the purpose of hastening death (second only to discomfort other than pain in 79% of cases).…”

Section: Loss Of Sense Of Dignitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dying, Dignity, and New Horizons in Palliative End-of-Life Care

Chochinov

2006

CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians

282

200

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Palliative care practitioners are now better able than ever before to ameliorate endof-life symptom distress. What remains less developed, however, is the knowledgebase and skill set necessary to recognize, assess, and compassionately address the psychosocial, existential, and spiritual aspects of the patient's dying experience. This review provides an overview of these areas, focusing primarily on empirical data that has examined these issues. A brief overview of psychiatric challenges in end-of-life care is complemented with a list of resources for readers wishing to explore this area more extensively. The experience of spiritual or existential suffering toward the end of life is explored, with an examination of the conceptual correlates of suffering. These correlates include:hopelessness, burden to others, loss of sense of dignity, and desire for death or loss of will to live. An empirically-derived model of dignity is described in some detail, with practical examples of diagnostic questions and therapeutic interventions to preserve dignity. Other interventions to reduce existential or spiritual suffering are described and evidence of their efficacy is presented. The author concludes that palliative care must continue to develop compassionate, individually tailored, and effective responses to the mounting vulnerability and increasingly difficult physical, psychosocial, and spiritual challenges facing persons nearing the end of life.

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Section: Loss Of Sense Of Dignitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Dying, Dignity, and New Horizons in Palliative End-of-Life Care

Chochinov

2006

CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians

282

200

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“…With regard to prospective studies, they can be classified according to one of two methodological approaches. The first concerns those studies that analyse the responses of patients with a terminal illness to questions about potential future scenarios involving pain or unbearable suffering, discomfort, etc., where the patients must answer according to what they would do in such a situation [53,67,68]. Clearly, however, these responses are based on preconceived attitudes and may not necessarily reflect a person's actual behaviour or decisions in real situations [69].…”

Section: Epidemiology Of the Wthd And Instruments For Measuring Itmentioning

confidence: 99%

The wish to hasten death: a review of clinical studies

et al. 2010

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It is common for patients who are faced with physical or psychological suffering, particularly those in the advanced stages of a disease, to have some kind of wish to hasten death (WTHD). This paper reviews and summarises the current state of knowledge about the WTHD among people with end-stage disease, doing so from a clinical perspective and on the basis of published clinical research. Studies were identified through a search strategy applied to the main scientific databases.Clinical studies show that the WTHD has a multi-factor aetiology. The literature review suggests-perhaps in line with better management of physical pain-that psychological and spiritual aspects, including social factors, are the most important cause of such a wish. One of the difficulties facing clinical research is the lack of terminological and conceptual precision in defining the construct. Indeed, studies frequently blur the distinction between a generic wish to die, a WTDH (whether sporadic or persistent over time), the explicit expression of a wish to die, and a request for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.A notable contribution to knowledge in this field has been made by scales designed to evaluate the WTHD, although the problems of conceptual definition may once again limit the conclusions, which can be drawn from the results. Studies using qualitative methodology have also provided new information that can help in understanding such wishes.Further clinical research is needed to provide a complete understanding of this phenomenon and to foster the development of suitable care plans.

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“…Only a small sliver 25,26 of the population will be eligible for the End-of-life Option Act and of those eligible, only a portion are likely to utilize this option, and no one ethically opposed would likely do so. For example, of the 34,160 Oregonians who died in 2014, 27 only 155 received a lethal prescription and 105 utilized it.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-Ethnic Attitudes Toward Physician-Assisted Death in California and Hawaii

Periyakoil

Kraemer

Neri

2016

Journal of Palliative Medicine

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Background: As aid-in-dying laws are gaining more public acceptance and support, it is important to understand diverse perceptions toward physician-assisted death (PAD). We compare attitudes of residents from California and Hawaii to identify variables that may predict attitudes toward PAD. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of 1095 participants (a 75.8% survey completion rate) from California and 819 from Hawaii (a 78.4% survey completion rate). Data were collected between July through October 2015.Results: Majority of study participants in California (72.5%) and Hawaii (76.5%) were supportive of PAD. Only 36.8% of participants in Hawaii and 34.8% of participants in California reported completing advance directives. To better understand which subgroups were most in favor of PAD, data were analyzed using both recursive partitioning and stepwise logistic regression. Older participants were more supportive of PAD in both states. Also, all ethnic groups were equally supportive of PAD. Completion of advance directives was not a significant predictor of attitudes toward PAD. Persons who reported that faith/religion/spirituality was less important to them were more likely to support PAD in both states. Thus, the major influences on the attitudes to PAD were religious/spiritual views and age, not ethnicity and gender. Even in the subgroups least supportive of PAD, the majority supported PAD. Conclusions: This study shows that in the ethnically diverse states of California and Hawaii, faith/religion/ spirituality and age are major influencers of attitudes toward PAD and not ethnicity and gender. Even in the subgroups least supportive of PAD, the majority supports PAD.

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Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon — The Second Year

Cited by 215 publications

References 12 publications

Dying, Dignity, and New Horizons in Palliative End-of-Life Care

Dying, Dignity, and New Horizons in Palliative End-of-Life Care

The wish to hasten death: a review of clinical studies

Multi-Ethnic Attitudes Toward Physician-Assisted Death in California and Hawaii

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