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Current wishes to die; characteristics of middle-aged and older Dutch adults who are ready to give up on life: a cross-sectional study.
- Source :
- BMC Medical Ethics; 5/21/2021, Vol. 22 Issue 1, p1-14, 14p
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- <bold>Background: </bold>Literature shows that middle-aged and older adults sometimes experience a wish to die. Reasons for these wishes may be complex and involve multiple factors. One important question is to what extent people with a wish to die have medically classifiable conditions.<bold>Aim: </bold>(1) Estimate the prevalence of a current wish to die among middle-aged and older adults in The Netherlands; (2) explore which factors within domains of vulnerability (physical, cognitive, social and psychological) are associated with a current wish to die; (3) assess how many middle-aged and older adults with a current wish to die do not have a medically classifiable condition and/or an accumulation of age-related health problems.<bold>Methods: </bold>Data of 2015/16 from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam were used for this cross-sectional study (1563 Dutch middle-aged and older adults aged between 57 and 99 years), obtained through structured medical interviews and self-reported questionnaires. Three experienced physicians assessed whether the participants with a current wish to die could be classified as having a medically classifiable condition and/or an accumulation of age-related health problems.<bold>Results: </bold>Nā=ā62 participants (4.0%) had a current wish to die. Having a current wish to die was associated with multiple characteristics across four domains of vulnerability, among which: self-perceived health, problems with memory, self-perceived quality of life and meaningfulness of life. Fifty-four participants with a current wish to die were assessed with having a medically classifiable condition, of which one was also assessed with having an accumulation of age-related health problems. Six people were assessed to have neither, and for two people it was unclear.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>A small minority of middle-aged and older adults in the Netherlands have a current wish to die. Most of them can be classified with a medical condition and one person with an accumulation of age-related health problems. Furthermore, the findings show that having a current wish to die is multi-faceted. There is still a need for more knowledge, such as insight in to what extent suffering stemming from the medical classifiable disease contributes to the development of the wish to die. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 14726939
- Volume :
- 22
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- BMC Medical Ethics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 150429093
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-021-00632-4