Table 1 The characteristics of patients whose EAS request was granted
Patient 1 | Patient 2 | Patient 3 | Patient 4 | Patient 5 | Patient 6 | Patient 7 | Patient 8 | Patient 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | 40–50 | 50–60 | 50–60 | 60–70 | 60–70 | 60–70 | 70–80 | 70–80 | 80–90 |
Sex | Female | Male | Male | Female | Male | Female | Female | Male | Male |
Main psychiatric diagnosis | Mood disorder | Mood disorder | Personality disorder | Mood disorder | Personality disorder | Personality disorder | Personality disorder | Mood disorder | Mood disorder |
Somatic secondary diagnosis | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Place of residence | At home | At home | At home | Mental healthcare institution | Mental healthcare institution | At home | At home | Mental healthcare institution | Hospital |
Length of time under treatment before first requesta | 1–12 months | > 12 months | > 12 months | < 1 month | 1–12 months | < 1 month | > 12 months | < 1 months | 1–12 months |
Life expectancy | > 12 months | > 12 months | > 12 months | > 12 months | > 12 months | > 12 months | > 12 months | > 12 months | 1–5 months |
Communication possibilities | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Reasonable | Reasonable |
Main reasons for the request | Feelings of depression, suffering with no prospect of improvement | Suffering with no prospect of improvement | Feelings of depression, desperate situations in several areas of life, completed life/suffering from life | Feelings of depression, dependence on other people, no longer living independently | Feelings of depression, fear, loneliness, desperate situations in several areas of life, suffering with no prospect of improvement, having no purpose in life | Other physical complaints, physical decline, disability/immobility, loneliness, desperate situations in several areas of life, having no purpose in life, | Physical decline, dependence on other people, loss of or fear of losing control over his or her own life, no longer living independently | Feelings of depression, cognitive decline, loss of or fear of losing control over his or her own life, no longer living independently, suffering with no prospect of improvement, loss of dignity | Pain, fear, suffering with no prospect of improvement, risk of serious complications |
Opinion of those close to the patient with regard to the request | Supporting the patient | Supporting the patient | Supporting the patient | Supporting the patient | Supporting the patient | Supporting the patient | Neutral | Supporting the patient | Did not support the request |
Patient with decisional competence | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | To a certain extent | Yes |
Voluntary/well-considered request | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | To a certain extent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Unbearable suffering | Yes | Yes | To a certain extent | Yes | To a certain extent | To a certain extent | Yes | Yes | To a certain extent |
Hopeless suffering | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | To a certain extent | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Alternative treatment options | No | No | No | No | To a certain extent | No | No | Yesb | No |
Other physicians consulted | 2 psychiatrists, 1 professor of psychology | 3 psychiatrists | No | 1 SCEN-physician, 1 psychiatrist | End-of-Life Clinicd | 1 SCEN-physician, 1 SCEN-physician/psychiatrist, 1 psychiatrist | 1 SCEN-physician, 2 psychiatrists | 1 SCEN-physician, 1 psychiatrist, 1 clinical geriatrician | 1 SCEN-physician, 1 neurosurgeon |
Method usedc | Assisted suicide (performed by general practitioner, or present) | Assisted suicide (performed by End-of-Life Clinic) | Assisted suicide | Euthanasia | Assisted suicide | Assisted suicide (patient referred) | Assisted suicide | Euthanasia | Assisted suicide |
Length of decision-making process | – | 3 months | 8 months | 1.5 years | 2 months | 2 months | 1 year | 2.5 years | 3 months |