[Euthanasia and assisted suicide by physicians in the home situation. I. Diagnoses, age and sex of patients]

Abstract

In order to map out morbidity, age and sex of patients with whom family doctors participated in euthanasia or assisted suicide, an exploratory, descriptive, retrospective study was carried out primarily regarding the period 1986-1989. Data were collected via an anonymous written injury among an at random sample of family doctors in North Holland (n = 521), and family doctors in the rest of the Netherlands (n = 521). In addition, police reports of euthanasia/assisted suicide administered by family doctors in North Holland (n = 263) were analysed. The inquiry included among others questions about the last case doctors had encountered. Diagnoses were classified according to the ICD-9. The results were compared with compiled mortality data relating to persons who died in their own homes. Correlations and differences were analysed by means of the chi2-test. The response to the inquiry was 67% (non-responders did not otherwise differ from responders): 228 (North Holland), 160 (rest of the Netherlands) and 263 (police reports) cases could be analysed. Of the patients, 85% suffered from a malignant neoplasm. The average age at which euthanasia or assisted suicide was practised was 63.4 years (men) and 66.1 years (women). Under the age of 30 and above 85 euthanasia or assisted suicide was administered only rarely. Proportionally these procedures were applied to the same extent to men as to women. In about 20% of the cases an important secondary diagnosis was present. In conclusion, it is especially the malignant neoplasms that cause such suffering that euthanasia or assisted suicide are practised. The average age at which they are applied is considerably lower than that of the total of people who die in their own homes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)