Psychiatric euthanasia, suicide and the role of gender

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Marie E. Nicolini ◽  
Chris Gastmans ◽  
Scott Y.H. Kim
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Critical Discussion ◽  
Psychiatric Condition

The preponderance of women among persons who request and receive euthanasia and assisted suicide based on a psychiatric condition, as shown by data from The Netherlands and Belgium, is virtually unexplored. We provide a critical discussion of this gender gap, and propose that it can inform a key debate point in the controversy over the practice, namely its conflict with suicide prevention.

Prawne aspekty eutanazji w Holandii

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-253
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Stefanowicz
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Public Authority ◽  
Dutch Society ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Limited Length ◽  
The Law ◽  
Death On Demand ◽  
The Way

This article undertakes to show the way that has led to the statutory decriminalization of euthanasia-related murder and assisted suicide in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It presents the evolution of the views held by Dutch society on the euthanasia related practice, in the consequence of which death on demand has become legal after less than thirty years. Due attention is paid to the role of organs of public authority in these changes, with a particular emphasis put on the role of the Dutch Parliament – the States General. Because of scarcity of space and limited length of the article, the change in the attitudes toward euthanasia, which has taken place in the Netherlands, is presented in a synthetic way – from the first discussions on admissibility of a euthanasia-related murder carried out in the 1970s, through the practice of killing patients at their request, which was against the law at that time, but with years began more and more acceptable, up to the statutory decriminalization of euthanasia by the Dutch Parliament, made with the support of the majority of society.

Szasz, suicide, and medical ethics

Thomas Szasz ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 55-64
Author(s):  
George J. Annas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Informed Consent ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Right ◽  
Suicidal Patients ◽  
Commit Suicide

Szasz objected to the medicalization of suicide, the legalization of suicide prevention, and especially the coercive role of psychiatry in this realm. He declared that, by medicalizing suicide, we banish the subject from discussion. What is meant by acceptable and unacceptable “suicide”? Who has a right to commit suicide? How does suicide implicate freedom? Does it reflect abortion jurisprudence? How do psychiatrists become suicide’s gatekeepers? Current phenomena (e.g., new physician-assisted suicide legislation) illuminate these and other issues (e.g., euthanasia, informed consent, informed refusal, the “right to die,”), all suggesting how Szasz would react to each. Suicide is legal, but is almost always considered a result of mental illness. Courts approve psychiatrists who want to commit “suicidal” patients involuntarily. Granting physicians prospective legal immunity for prescribing lethal drugs is, at best, a strange and tangential reaction to our inability to discuss suicide (and dying) rationally. Szasz got it right.

Suicide and Assisted Suicide in Switzerland: Consequences for Suicide Prevention

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S11-S11
Author(s):  
G. Stoppe
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Private Organizations ◽  
Competing Interest

As in other countries, in Switzerland, the rate of suicide is highest in the elderly. Assisted suicide is allowed and mostly exerted by private organizations like EXIT. The number of assisted suicide cases has doubled during the last five years and is expected to increase. It is mainly committed by women. In the age group 80 + y the number is higher than the number of suicides. To reduce the number of suicides by 25% by 2030, the federal authorities have issued a national action plan in November 2016. It includes preventive means like reduction of access to methods (weapons, drugs), construction of bridges and buildings, education of lays and professionals and specific treatment of those who have attempted suicide. There has been a position paper of Swiss public health concerning suicide prevention in the elderly. Both papers will be presented and discussed.Concerning assisted suicide there is a broad discussion on the control of the state and on the role of physicians in the process. A survey of Swiss physicians showed much ambivalence. Position papers of gerontological and geriatric societies focused on the role loneliness and the provision of adequate psychiatric help, e.g. for depression, and the overestimation of autonomy.Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

The role of nurses in euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in The Netherlands

2008 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 254-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
G G van Bruchem-van de Scheur ◽  
A J G v. d. Arend ◽  
H H. Abu-Saad ◽  
C Spreeuwenberg ◽  
F C B van Wijmen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide

scholarly journals “Nothing Hurts Less Than Being Dead”: Psychological Pain in Case Descriptions of Psychiatric Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide from the Netherlands: « Rien ne fait moins mal qu’être mort »: La douleur psychologique dans les descriptions de cas d’euthanasie et de suicide assisté psychiatrique aux Pays-Bas

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (9) ◽  
pp. 612-620
Author(s):  
Aiste Lengvenyte ◽  
Robertas Strumila ◽  
Philippe Courtet ◽  
Scott Y. H. Kim ◽  
Emilie Olié
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Loss Of Control ◽  
Psychological Pain ◽  
Suicide Assisté ◽  
Psychiatric Conditions ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Emotional Flooding

Objectives: Euthanasia and assisted suicide (EAS) of individuals with mental disorders is a growing practice in several countries, including the Netherlands. Here, we aimed to identify the most frequent dimensions of and associated factors to psychological pain, which has been associated with suicidality, in individuals undergoing psychiatric EAS. Methods: An exploratory retrospective content analysis of the English translation of 66 digital case records of individuals who died by EAS in the Netherlands between 2011 and 2014 was performed. Nine standard psychological pain dimensions (irreversibility, loss of control, emptiness, emotional flooding, freezing, social distancing, narcissistic wounds, confusion, and self-estrangement), illness, and sociodemographic variables were evaluated by 2 independent raters using a premade data abstraction form (Kohen κ > 0.8 in all cases). Results: The mean number of dimensions was 4.64 ± 1.20 (median = 5), out of 9. The most frequent dimensions were irreversibility, loss of control, emptiness, and emotional flooding, in decreasing order. Past treatment refusal and the mention of social connections in case descriptions were related to the higher number of psychological pain dimensions (4.89 ± 1.24 vs. 4.31 ± 1.07, P = 0.03 and 5.05 ± 1.17 vs. 4.43 ± 1.17, P = 0.03, respectively). Emotional flooding was the only dimension specifically associated with specific psychiatric conditions, namely posttraumatic phenomena and personality disorders. Conclusions: Numerous psychological pain dimensions were detected in case descriptions of individuals who underwent EAS before the procedure. Subjective nature of the study precludes definite conclusions but suggest that future studies should explore psychological pain and the role of interventions targeting it in patients requesting EAS.

Dutch Nurses' Attitudes Towards Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide

2008 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ada van Bruchem-van de Scheur ◽  
Arie van der Arend ◽  
Frans van Wijmen ◽  
Huda Huijer Abu-Saad ◽  
Ruud ter Meulen
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Home Care ◽  
Questionnaire Survey ◽  
Assisted Suicide ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Physician Assisted Suicide ◽  
Common Practices

This article presents the attitudes of nurses towards three issues concerning their role in euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 1509 nurses who were employed in hospitals, home care organizations and nursing homes. The study was conducted in the Netherlands between January 2001 and August 2004. The results show that less than half (45%) of nurses would be willing to serve on committees reviewing cases of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. More than half of the nurses (58.2%) found it too far-reaching to oblige physicians to consult a nurse in the decision-making process. The majority of the nurses stated that preparing euthanatics (62.9%) and inserting an infusion needle to administer the euthanatics (54.1%) should not be accepted as nursing tasks. The findings are discussed in the context of common practices and policies in the Netherlands, and a recommendation is made not to include these three issues in new regulations on the role of nurses in euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.

Wiser Reasoning and Less Disgust Have the Potential to Better Achieve Suicide Prevention

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Chao S. Hu ◽  
Jiajia Ji ◽  
Jinhao Huang ◽  
Zhe Feng ◽  
Dong Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Emotional Reaction ◽  
Suicide Method ◽  
University Teachers ◽  
Advice Giving ◽  
Prevention Techniques

Abstract. Background: High school and university teachers need to advise students against attempting suicide, the second leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds. Aims: To investigate the role of reasoning and emotion in advising against suicide. Method: We conducted a study with 130 students at a university that specializes in teachers' education. Participants sat in front of a camera, videotaping their advising against suicide. Three raters scored their transcribed advice on "wise reasoning" (i.e., expert forms of reasoning: considering a variety of conditions, awareness of the limitation of one's knowledge, taking others' perspectives). Four registered psychologists experienced in suicide prevention techniques rated the transcripts on the potential for suicide prevention. Finally, using the software Facereader 7.1, we analyzed participants' micro-facial expressions during advice-giving. Results: Wiser reasoning and less disgust predicted higher potential for suicide prevention. Moreover, higher potential for suicide prevention was associated with more surprise. Limitations: The actual efficacy of suicide prevention was not assessed. Conclusion: Wise reasoning and counter-stereotypic ideas that trigger surprise probably contribute to the potential for suicide prevention. This advising paradigm may help train teachers in advising students against suicide, measuring wise reasoning, and monitoring a harmful emotional reaction, that is, disgust.

The role of culture in suicide prevention in adolescents.

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 2-6
Author(s):  
Sherry Davis Molock ◽  
Ariel Smith ◽  
David Jeffries ◽  
David Jean
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention

The adaptation of design thinking in auditing

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda MEIJER-WASSENAAR ◽  
Diny VAN EST
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Public Organizations ◽  
Design Framework ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Way

How can a supreme audit institution (SAI) use design thinking in auditing? SAIs audit the way taxpayers’ money is collected and spent. Adding design thinking to their activities is not to be taken lightly. SAIs independently check whether public organizations have done the right things in the right way, but the organizations might not be willing to act upon a SAI’s recommendations. Can you imagine the role of design in audits? In this paper we share our experiences of some design approaches in the work of one SAI: the Netherlands Court of Audit (NCA). Design thinking needs to be adapted (Dorst, 2015a) before it can be used by SAIs such as the NCA in order to reflect their independent, autonomous status. To dive deeper into design thinking, Buchanan’s design framework (2015) and different ways of reasoning (Dorst, 2015b) are used to explore how design thinking can be adapted for audits.

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