Assisted suicide not often chosen
___WASHINGTON (RNS)--The majority of dying patients would not choose physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia to end their lives, a new study has found.
___About one of 10 patients who were terminally ill said they seriously considered using euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. Fewer than 6 percent said they had seriously discussed either measure for themselves or hoarded drugs with the intent of committing suicide.
___The study, published in the Nov. 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, is considered to be the first major assessment of attitudes of terminally ill patients regarding the hotly contested issues.
___The study found that those who consider euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are affected by depression, feel unappreciated and have substantial need for assistance with basic functions such as eating, dressing, transportation and homemaking.
___Researchers also learned that shortness of breath, rather than pain, was the physical symptom most closely tied to first thoughts of physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia.
___Half those who initially considered either way of ending their lives changed their minds at a follow-up interview. An almost equal number who did not consider those measures in the first interview changed their minds in a follow-up interview.
The Baptist Standard
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