Incidence and Prevalence of Reported Euthanasia Cases in Belgium, 2002 to 2023.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Reported cases of assisted dying have increased in countries with such legislation. In Belgium, where euthanasia was legalized in mid-2002, cases rose from 236 in 2003 to 3423 in 2023. Most previous studies have focused on occurrence rates.

Objective

To examine the magnitude of the increase in euthanasia cases and its association with demographic changes observed during the study period.

Design, setting, and participants

This cross-sectional study analyzed complete data from the Belgian Federal Commission for the Control and Evaluation of Euthanasia (FCCEE) from September 1, 2002, to December 31, 2023, and adjusted the model for demographic composition and change by gender, age group, and region using data from the Belgian Office for Statistics. All cases o

SUBMITTER: Wels J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12019508 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature