Article Figures & Data
Tables
PRIMARY DIAGNOSES ASSISTED DEATH (N=112), N (%) ASSESSMENT ONLY (N=92), N (%) NATURAL DEATH (N=11), N (%) NOT ELIGIBLE (N=35), N (%) Malignancy 48 (42.9) 52 (56.5) 7 (63.6) 9 (25.7) Neurological disease 25 (22.3) 19 (20.7) 2 (18.2) 4 (11.4) End-organ failure 27 (24.1) 11 (12.0) 1 (9.1) 2 (5.7) Other 12 (10.7) 10 (10.9) 1 (9.1) 20 (57.1) - Table 2.
First and second most important reasons for the request for assisted death: N = 250; 6 charts had no reasons, 56 had only 1 reason, and some gave 3 or 4 reasons, but only the first 2 reasons were coded.
REASONS ASSISTED DEATH (N=112), N (%) ASSESSMENT ONLY (N=92), N (%) NATURAL DEATH (N=11), N (%) NOT ELIGIBLE (N=35), N (%) Loss of control and independence 59 (52.7) 34 (37.0) 1 (9.1) 12 (34.3) Loss of ability to do enjoyable and meaningful activities 55 (49.1) 35 (38.0) 2 (18.2) 10 (28.6) Illness-related suffering (pain, nausea, etc) 67 (59.8) 34 (37.0) 4 (36.4) 23 (65.7) Fear of future suffering 27 (24.1) 50 (54.3) 2 (18.2) 11 (31.4) Previous negative experience around death and dying 4 (3.6) 1 (1.1) 0 (0.0) 1 (2.9) - Table 3.
First and second most important reasons for request by diagnosis in patients with completed assisted deaths: N = 112; 12 charts had only 1 reason.
REASONS MALIGNANCY (N=48), N (%) NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE (N=25), N (%) END-ORGAN FAILURE (N=27), N (%) OTHER (N=12), N (%) TOTAL (N=112), N (%) Loss of control and independence 25 (52.1) 14 (56.0) 13 (48.1) 7 (58.3) 59 (52.7) Loss of ability to do enjoyable and meaningful activities 21 (43.8) 16 (64.0) 14 (51.9) 4 (33.3) 55 (49.1) Illness-related suffering (pain, nausea, etc) 35 (72.9) 7 (28.0) 15 (55.6) 10 (83.3) 67 (59.8) Fear of future suffering 11 (22.9) 9 (36.0) 6 (22.2) 1 (8.3) 27 (24.1) Previous negative experience around death and dying 1 (2.1) 1 (4.0) 1 (3.7) 1 (8.3) 4 (3.6)
