Why People Think They Might Hasten Their Death When Faced With Irremediable Health Conditions, Compared To Why They Actually Do So

ABSTRACT

This study surveys the differences of relatively healthy proponents of end-of-life choices and people with irremediable health conditions having already made the decision to hasten their deaths on what each group considers important in influencing a desire to hasten death. Psychosocial factors were more important than physical ones for both groups; but those contemplating what might influence them to hasten their deaths in the future thought pain and feeling ill would be much bigger factors than they turned out to be for those deciding to do so. Those having decided to hasten their deaths cited the lack of any further viable medical treatments and having to live in a nursing home as bigger factors. Identifying these psychosocial factors influencing a desire for a hastened death suggests that caregivers and medical providers may want to review what compassionate understanding and support looks like for people wanting to hasten their death.

Moral Locus Of Control In Hastened Death
When Faced With Irremediable Health Conditions

ABSTRACT

Following APA’s call to present research in reader-friendly styles, the objective of this study is to identify characteristics of a unique set of 101 people who chose to hasten their death when faced with irremediable health conditions without support from any state/medical-aid-in-dying programs. The methodology used was to collect information regarding education, spiritual orientation, beliefs in regard to their personal locus of control, their basis for moral decision-making, and belief in an afterlife from a group of people who had decided to hasten their deaths and compare those beliefs and personal traits to the general population and, where available, to people who chose to hasten their death using state supported medical aid in dying programs in the United States. The results showed statistically significant very high levels of education, less traditional religious beliefs, lack of belief in a conscious afterlife, a high feeling of internal locus of control, and a high sense of internal moral authority. This led to the conclusion that these personal and belief factors combine to create the concept of a high internal moral locus of control in this group of people who choose to hasten their death when faced with irremediable health conditions.