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Expressed desire for hastened death by patients with advanced cancer had several meanings and uses

Key Words: attitude to death • neoplasms • terminally ill

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

DESIGN
Qualitative study using phenomenologic inquiry.

SETTING
An urban cancer research centre.

PATIENTS
7 English speaking patients (age range 40–79 y, 4 men) with advanced cancer who had expressed a desire for hastened death on 1 occasion.

METHODS
Data were collected during a series of 2–6 indepth interviews that lasted 30–60 minutes. Time periods for each interview series ranged from 2 days to 6 months. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed, and themes were developed through content analysis.

MAIN FINDINGS
Chronic triggers that preceded the expressed desire for hastened death included debilitating progression of disease; perception of chronic and progressive loss of social support, dignity, autonomy, and sense of worth; and perception of being a burden to self or others in the present or future. Acute events preceding expression of a desire for hastened death included uncontrolled pain, shortness of breath, and medical information that produced fear, hopelessness, and a sense of dread.

9 distinct, but . . . [Full text of this article]

Britt-Marie Ternestedt, RN, PhD

Department of Health Care Sciences
Ersta University College
Stockholm, Sweden