Did you know that pain and suffering never makes the top 5 reasons why patients in Oregon request assisted suicide?
Oregon Health Authority’s annual reports reveal that pain or the fear of pain is listed second to last (25%) among the reasons cited by all patients seeking lethal drugs since 1998, while the top five reasons cited are psychological and social concerns: “losing autonomy” (92%), “less able to engage in activities that make life enjoyable” (90%), “loss of dignity” (79%), “losing control of bodily functions” (48%), and “burden on family friends/caregivers” (41%).
The top 5 reasons for requesting assisted suicide are valid psychosocial issues at the end of life, and we must do a better job of addressing these concerns for patients without coercing them into thinking they need assisted suicide.
Read more in the Oregon Health Authority’s Annual Report…