Commonalities and differences in legal euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in three countries: a population-level comparison

Sigrid Dierickx (), Bregje Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Yolanda Penders, Joachim Cohen, Agnes van der Heide, Milo A. Puhan, Sarah Ziegler, Georg Bosshard, Luc Deliens and Kenneth Chambaere
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Sigrid Dierickx: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Bregje Onwuteaka-Philipsen: Amsterdam University Medical Centers
Yolanda Penders: University of Zurich
Joachim Cohen: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Agnes van der Heide: Erasmus MC
Milo A. Puhan: University of Zurich
Sarah Ziegler: University of Zurich
Georg Bosshard: University of Zurich and City Hospital Waid
Luc Deliens: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Kenneth Chambaere: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

International Journal of Public Health, 2020, vol. 65, issue 1, No 9, 65-73

Abstract: Abstract Objectives To describe and compare euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (EAS) practice in Flanders, Belgium (BE), the Netherlands (NL) and Switzerland (CH). Methods Mortality follow-back surveys among attending physicians of a random sample of death certificates. Results We studied 349 EAS deaths in BE (4.6% of all deaths), 851 in NL (4.6% of all deaths) and 65 in CH (1.4% of all deaths). People who died by EAS were mostly aged 65 or older (BE: 81%, NL: 77% and CH: 71%) and were mostly diagnosed with cancer (BE: 57% and NL: 66%). Home was the most common place of death in NL (79%), while in BE and CH, more variation was found regarding to place of death. The decision to perform EAS was more frequently discussed with a colleague physician in BE (93%) and NL (90%) than in CH (60%). Conclusions EAS practice characteristics vary considerably in the studied countries with legal EAS. In addition to the legal context, cultural factors as well as the manner in which legislation is implemented play a role in how EAS legislation translates into practice.

Keywords: Euthanasia; Physician-assisted suicide; End-of-life decision-making; Belgium; The Netherlands; Switzerland (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1007/s00038-019-01281-6

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