Abstract | BACKGROUND: METHODS: We analyzed diagnoses and reasons that prompted patients to suicide with the help of the German right-to-die organization "Sterbehilfe Deutschland" (StHD) between 2010 and 2013. 118 case reports of assisted suicide published by StHD were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Between 2010 and 2013 StHD provided assistance in 118 suicides. 71 % of the deceased were women. 67 % were aged 70 years or older. 25,6 % suffered from metastasized cancer, 20,5 % had a severe neurological disease. 23 % suffered from age-associated diseases or disability. 14,5 % of the decedents had a predominant psychiatric diagnose, 7,7 % were physically and mentally healthy. The main reasons for suicide were loss of life perspective in the face of a severe disease (29 %), fear of care dependency (23,9 %), weariness of life without any severe disease (20,5 %). Only 12,8 % named non-treatable symptoms as a reason. CONCLUSION: Loss of life perspective in the face of a severe disease, fear of long-term care and weariness of life without any severe disease rather than unbearable suffering of non-treatable symptoms seem to be the most common reasons for members of StHD to commit suicide. These empirical findings should be mentioned in future debates on assisted suicide in Germany.
|
Authors | F Bruns, S Blumenthal, G Hohendorf |
Journal | Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift (1946)
(Dtsch Med Wochenschr)
Vol. 141
Issue 4
Pg. e32-7
(Feb 2016)
ISSN: 1439-4413 [Electronic] Germany |
Vernacular Title | Organisierte Suizidbeihilfe in Deutschland: Medizinische Diagnosen und persönliche Motive von 117 Suizidenten. |
PMID | 26886045
(Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)
|
Copyright | © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York. |
Topics |
- Aged
- Fatigue
- Fear
- Female
- Germany
(epidemiology)
- Humans
- Long-Term Care
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
- Suicide, Assisted
(psychology, statistics & numerical data)
|