Citation

Karlinsky H, Taerk G, Schwartz K, Ennis J, Rodin G. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry 1988; 10(6): 423-430.

Affiliation

Department of Psychiatry, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1988, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3203883

Abstract

The conventional psychiatric opinion that suicide is a manifestation of psychiatric illness may not apply to circumstances in which suicide or the refusal of life-sustaining medical treatment results from the rational decisions of autonomous individuals. As medical technology advances, questions about the prolongation of life and the discontinuation of medical treatment have become commonplace in the medical setting. In this context, contradictions may exist between the principle of patient autonomy and that of physician responsibility. Dilemmas about treatment decisions that emerge from these conflicting perspectives are highlighted in this article. We report two cases of attempted suicide in the context, respectively, of (1) terminal illness and (2) advanced age. Some of the complex psychiatric, ethical, and legal issues related to the case reports are addressed.

Language: en