Abstract
ObjectivesAssisted dying has been legally available in Oregon in the USA for 25 years, since when official reports have been published each year detailing the number of people who have used this option as well as sociodemographic and information about the process. The aim of this study was to examine changes over time in these data.MethodsWe collated and reviewed data on 2454 assisted deaths included in annual reports on assisted deaths published by the Oregon Health Authority from 1998 to 2022. Descriptive statistics were used to describe time trends.ResultsThe number of assisted deaths in Oregon increased from 16 in 1998 to 278 in 2022. Over this time, patients’ health funding status changed from predominantly private (65%) to predominantly government support (79.5%), and there was an increase in patients feeling a burden and describing financial concerns as reasons for choosing an assisted death. There has been a reduction in the length of the physician–patient relationship from 18 weeks in 2010 to 5 weeks in 2022, and the proportion referred for psychiatric assessment remains low (1%). Data are frequently missing, particularly around complications.ConclusionsThe number and characteristics of people accessing assisted deaths, and the process, have changed since data collection started in 1998. Prospective studies are needed to examine the relationship between socioeconomic factors and the desire for an assisted death in Oregon.
Subject
Medical–Surgical Nursing,Oncology (nursing),General Medicine,Medicine (miscellaneous)
Reference36 articles.
1. Oregon Health Authority: annual reports. Available: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/providerpartnerresources/evaluationresearch/deathwithdignityact/pages/ar-index.aspx [Accessed 25 Jul 2023].
2. Euthanasia and assisted suicide [NHS]. Available: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide/ [Accessed 25 Jul 2023].
3. American Medical Association . Report 2 of the council on ethical and judicial affairs (2-A-19). physician-assisted suicide (resolution 15-A-16 and resolution 14-A-17). Available: https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/2019-05/a19-ceja2.pdf [Accessed 25 Jul 2023].
4. Al Rabadi L , LeBlanc M , Bucy T , et al . Trends in medical aid in dying in Oregon and Washington. JAMA Netw Open 2019;2:e198648. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.8648
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献