Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://dx.doi.org/10.25673/101629
Title: Evaluating requests for physician-assisted suicide : a survey among German oncologists
Author(s): Schildmann, JanLook up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Cinci, Marc L.Look up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Kupsch, Leonie
Oldenburg, Michael
Wörmann, BernhardLook up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Nadolny, StephanLook up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Winkler, Eva C.Look up in the Integrated Authority File of the German National Library
Issue Date: 2022
Type: Article
Language: English
Abstract: Background: Cancer patients form a notable proportion of requestors for physician-assisted suicide (PAS). This manuscript provides data on German oncologists' views concerning due criteria for the assessment of requests for PAS and quality assurance. Methods: The German Society of Haematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO) has conducted a survey among its members to elicit data about practices and views on regulating PAS in March 2021. Descriptive analysis and bivariate logistic regression of quantitative data on socio-demographic and other determinants possibly associated with respondents' views on PAS as well as content analysis of qualitative data were performed. Results: About 57.1% (n = 425) of respondents (n = 745) indicated that they had been asked for information about PAS by patients. Information about palliative (92.7%; n = 651) and psychological care options (85.6%; n = 598) was deemed most important in cases of requests for PAS. More than half of the respondents (57.6%; n = 429) were in favour of a formal expert assessment of decisional capacity and about 33.4% (n = 249) favoured a time span of 14 days between the counselling and prescription of a lethal drug. There was no association between participants who received more requests and a preference for disclosing publicly their willingness to assist with suicide. A majority of respondents requested measures of quality assurance (71.3%; n = 531). Conclusion: According to respondents' views, the regulation of PAS will require diligent procedures regarding the assessment of decisional capacity and counselling. The findings suggest that the development of adequate and feasible criteria to assess the quality of practices is an important task.
URI: https://opendata.uni-halle.de//handle/1981185920/103576
http://dx.doi.org/10.25673/101629
Open Access: Open access publication
License: (CC BY 4.0) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0(CC BY 4.0) Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Journal Title: Cancer medicine
Publisher: Wiley
Publisher Place: Hoboken, NJ
Original Publication: 10.1002/cam4.4981
Page Start: 1
Page End: 8
Appears in Collections:Open Access Publikationen der MLU