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The impact of the euthanasia act on the number of requests for euthanasia and physician assisted suicide.
Donker, G., Alphen, J. van, Marquet, R. The impact of the euthanasia act on the number of requests for euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. Swiss Medical Weekly: 2009, 139(Suppl. 175), p. S 69. 15th Wonca Europe Conference,16-19 september 2009, Basel.
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Aim: To investigate changes in the number of and reasons for requests of Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (E/PAS) in Dutch General Practice after implementing the Euthanasia Act in 2002.
Design: Retrospective dynamic cohort study during the period 1977–2007. Participants: Standardized registration forms were used to collect data annually on E/PAS via the Dutch Sentinel Practice Network. This network of 45 general practices represents 0.8% of the Dutch population and is representative at a national level for age, sex, geographic distribution and population density. Results: Analysis of 1011 E/PAS requests (54% male) showed an increasing trend until 1990. Thereafter a slight decrease, which stabilised after 2004 around 2.2 per 10,000 (P <0.05). Malignancies were reported in 74.8% of these requests. The group younger than 60 years of age (23.7%) is overrepresented. Pain showed a declining trend over the years (P <0.001), but remained the most frequent reason for requesting E/PAS. Deterioration was a frequent reason for patients’ requests until around 1991; thereafter this reason decreased (P <0.01). Dyspnoea showed a decreasing frequency during the period 1977–2007 (P <0.05). Conclusions: The incidence of requests for E/PAS in Dutch General Practice did not increase after implementing the Euthanasia Act. Pain has declined, but remained the most frequent reason in requesting E/PAS in Dutch General Practice throughout the study period. (aut. ref.)
Design: Retrospective dynamic cohort study during the period 1977–2007. Participants: Standardized registration forms were used to collect data annually on E/PAS via the Dutch Sentinel Practice Network. This network of 45 general practices represents 0.8% of the Dutch population and is representative at a national level for age, sex, geographic distribution and population density. Results: Analysis of 1011 E/PAS requests (54% male) showed an increasing trend until 1990. Thereafter a slight decrease, which stabilised after 2004 around 2.2 per 10,000 (P <0.05). Malignancies were reported in 74.8% of these requests. The group younger than 60 years of age (23.7%) is overrepresented. Pain showed a declining trend over the years (P <0.001), but remained the most frequent reason for requesting E/PAS. Deterioration was a frequent reason for patients’ requests until around 1991; thereafter this reason decreased (P <0.01). Dyspnoea showed a decreasing frequency during the period 1977–2007 (P <0.05). Conclusions: The incidence of requests for E/PAS in Dutch General Practice did not increase after implementing the Euthanasia Act. Pain has declined, but remained the most frequent reason in requesting E/PAS in Dutch General Practice throughout the study period. (aut. ref.)
Aim: To investigate changes in the number of and reasons for requests of Euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (E/PAS) in Dutch General Practice after implementing the Euthanasia Act in 2002.
Design: Retrospective dynamic cohort study during the period 1977–2007. Participants: Standardized registration forms were used to collect data annually on E/PAS via the Dutch Sentinel Practice Network. This network of 45 general practices represents 0.8% of the Dutch population and is representative at a national level for age, sex, geographic distribution and population density. Results: Analysis of 1011 E/PAS requests (54% male) showed an increasing trend until 1990. Thereafter a slight decrease, which stabilised after 2004 around 2.2 per 10,000 (P <0.05). Malignancies were reported in 74.8% of these requests. The group younger than 60 years of age (23.7%) is overrepresented. Pain showed a declining trend over the years (P <0.001), but remained the most frequent reason for requesting E/PAS. Deterioration was a frequent reason for patients’ requests until around 1991; thereafter this reason decreased (P <0.01). Dyspnoea showed a decreasing frequency during the period 1977–2007 (P <0.05). Conclusions: The incidence of requests for E/PAS in Dutch General Practice did not increase after implementing the Euthanasia Act. Pain has declined, but remained the most frequent reason in requesting E/PAS in Dutch General Practice throughout the study period. (aut. ref.)
Design: Retrospective dynamic cohort study during the period 1977–2007. Participants: Standardized registration forms were used to collect data annually on E/PAS via the Dutch Sentinel Practice Network. This network of 45 general practices represents 0.8% of the Dutch population and is representative at a national level for age, sex, geographic distribution and population density. Results: Analysis of 1011 E/PAS requests (54% male) showed an increasing trend until 1990. Thereafter a slight decrease, which stabilised after 2004 around 2.2 per 10,000 (P <0.05). Malignancies were reported in 74.8% of these requests. The group younger than 60 years of age (23.7%) is overrepresented. Pain showed a declining trend over the years (P <0.001), but remained the most frequent reason for requesting E/PAS. Deterioration was a frequent reason for patients’ requests until around 1991; thereafter this reason decreased (P <0.01). Dyspnoea showed a decreasing frequency during the period 1977–2007 (P <0.05). Conclusions: The incidence of requests for E/PAS in Dutch General Practice did not increase after implementing the Euthanasia Act. Pain has declined, but remained the most frequent reason in requesting E/PAS in Dutch General Practice throughout the study period. (aut. ref.)
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