Prevalence and characteristics of older adults with a persistent death wish without severe illness: a large cross-sectional survey.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Some older persons develop a persistent death wish without being severely ill, often referred to as "completed life" or "tiredness of life". In the Netherlands and Belgium, the question whether these persons should have legal options for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (EAS) is intensely debated. Our main aim was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of older adults with a persistent death wish without severe illness, as the lack of this knowledge is a crucial problem in de debate.

Methods

We conducted a survey among a representative sample of 32,477 Dutch citizens aged 55+, comprising questions about health, existential issues and the nature of the death wish. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the group with a persistent death wish

SUBMITTER: Hartog ID 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7495831 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature