 Views on physician-assisted suicide among family members of Oregon cancer patients Ninety-eight Oregonians with advanced cancer and their family members participated
in a cross-sectional survey to understand agreement in views on physician-assisted
suicide (PAS), which was a legal option for these patients. Half of the family
members would support the patient's request for PAS, 30% would oppose it, and
19% were undecided. Low religiousness and the family member's personal health
concerns were associated with increasing support by the family member for PAS
for the patient. Family members were able to predict patients' political views
on legalized PAS, and there was moderately high agreement among family members
on political views. Family members, however, were not knowledgeable about patients'
interest in PAS for themselves, and there was low agreement among dyads on whether
they had discussed this issue. Improved knowledge of patient-based barriers
to discussing PAS may facilitate interventions for psychosocial distress in
cancer patients. Ganzini L, Beer TM, Brouns MC. From J
Pain Symptom Manage. J Pain Symptom Manage. 2006 Sep;32(3):230-6. |
| Department of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City ©2005 Continuum Health Partners, Inc. www.stoppain.org/palliative_care |
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