The wish to hasten death in patients with life-limiting conditions. A systematic overview
Author
Publication date
2024ISSN
0885-3924
Abstract
Context: A systematic review of the wish to hasten death among people with life-limiting conditions was published in 2011. Since then, other reviews and primary studies have been published that have added to knowledge regarding the conceptual definition, aetiology and assessment of the wish to hasten death. Objectives: To provide an updated synthesis of the literature on the wish to hasten death in people with life-limiting conditions. Methods: An overview of systematic reviews and primary studies was conducted, using an integrative review method. PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched, from their inception until 2023. We included all systematic reviews published to date and all primary studies not included in these systematic reviews. Results: Eleven systematic reviews and 35 primary studies were included. We propose that the phenomenon may usefully be considered as existing along a continuum, defined by the extent to which thoughts of dying are linked to action. A total of nine assessment tools have been described. The reported prevalence of the wish to hasten death appears to be influenced by the wording used in assessment instruments, as well as by the cut-off used when applying a particular tool. Depression, pain, functional disability, decreased sense of meaning in life, the sense of being a burden and reduced quality of life are the most widely reported related factors. Conclusion: This overview underscores the need for clinical strategies that can identify different manifestations of the wish to hasten death among people with life-limiting conditions.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Published version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
61 - Medical sciences
Keywords
Malaltia avançada
Assistència per morir
Càncer
Cures pal·liatives
Patiment
Revisió sistemàtica
Enfermedad avanzada
Asistencia para morir
Cáncer
Cuidados paliativos
Sufrimiento
Revisión sistemática
Advanced illness
Assistance in dying
Cancer
Palliative care
Suffering
Systematic review
Pages
25
Publisher
Elsevier
Is part of
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Citation
Rodríguez Prat, Andrea; Pergolizzi, Denise; Crespo, Iris [et al.]. The wish to hasten death in patients with life-limiting conditions. A systematic overview. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 2024, [p. 1-25]. Disponible en: <https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885392424007437?via%3Dihub>. Fecha de acceso: 3 jun. 2024. DOI:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.04.023
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Ciències de la Salut [740]
Rights
Under a Creative Commons license
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/