Legalized Physician-Assisted Suicide in Oregon, 1998–2000

Abstract

*Data were obtained from death certificates and interviews with physicians. For continuous variables, P values were calculated with use of the Kruskal-Wallis test; for proportions, P values were calculated with use of the Cochran-Armitage test for trend (two-sided). P values were greater than 0.05 unless indicated. Patients for whom information was unknown were not included in the calculations of the percentages shown. †This category combined college graduates and those with post-baccalaureate education. ‡This category includes cancers of the brain, breast, and colon; endometrial, gastroesophageal, liver, lung, oral, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancers; and lymphomas and metastatic carcinomas for which the primary cancer was unknown. §Those responding "no" or "don't know" are not shown. ¶Patients who were reported to be concerned about the possibility of inadequate pain control were not necessarily experiencing pain. P ATIENTS W HO D IED IN 1998 (N=16) T OTAL (N=70) P V ALUE Age-yr Median Range 69 51-93 71 31-87 70 25-94 70 25-94 Race-no. (%) White Asian 26 (96) 1 (4) 26 (96) 1 (4) 16 (100) 0 68 (97) 2 (3) Male sex-no. (%) 12 (44) 16 (59) 8 (50) 36 (51) Marital status-no. (%) Married Widowed Divorced Never married 18 (67) 6 (22) 3 (11) 0 12 (44) 6 (22) 8 (30) 1 (4) 2 (12) 5 (31) 5 (31) 4 (25) 32 (46) 17 (24) 16 (23) 5 (7) <0.001 Level of education-no. (%) Less than high-school graduate High-school graduate, some college College graduate Post-baccalaureate degree Unknown 2 (8) 11 (42) 5 (19) 8 (31) 1 2 (7) 12 (44) 13 (48) † 0 3 (19) 9 (56) 4 (25) † 0 7 (10) 32 (46) 30 (43) † 1 Underlying illness-no. (%) Cancer ‡ Other diseases 21 (78) 6 (22) 17 (63) 10 (37) 14 (88) 2 (12) 52 (74) 18 (26) Concern about end-of-life issues-no. (%) § Financial implications of treatment Burden to family, friends, or other caregivers Loss of autonomy Decrease in ability to participate in activities that make life enjoyable Loss of control of bodily functions (e.g., bowel and bladder control and breathing) Inadequate pain control ¶ Multiple issues of concern, including being a burden, loss of autonomy, inability to participate in enjoyable activities, and loss of control of bodily functions 1 (4) 17 (63) 25 (93) 21 (78) 21 (78) 8 (30) 26 (96) 0 7 (26) 21 (78) 22 (81) 16 (59) 7 (26) 21 (78) 0 2 (12) 12 (75) 11 (69) 9 (56) 2 (12) 13 (81) 1 (1) 26 (37) 58 (83) 54 (77) 46 (66) 17 (24) 60 (86) <0.001 Process of physician-assisted suicide Referred for psychiatric evaluation-no. (%) Patient died at home (own, family's, or friend's)-no. (%) Physician present when medication ingested-no. (%) Vomiting or seizures after medication ingested-no. (%) Vomiting or medication regurgitated Seizures Neither Unknown Days between initial request for medication and death Median Range Interval between ingestion of medication and unconsciousness Median-min Range-min Unknown-no. Interval between ingestion of medication and death Median-min Range-min Unknown-no.