Citation

Pott M, Von Baalmoos C, Dubois J, Gamondi C. Medecine Palliative 2014; 13(2): 68-76.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014)

DOI

10.1016/j.medpal.2013.08.003

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The practice of assisted suicide is tolerated in Switzerland and a number of associations are involved in providing assisted suicide to patients. It is a phenomenon that has been insufficiently investigated from the perspective of close relatives, even though they could be deeply involved during decision making and afterwards.

METHODS: To investigate the experience of family members who have participated in an assisted suicide, we conducted 30semi-structured interviews to bereaved relatives in several French-speaking and italian speaking cantons in Switzerland. This article presents preliminary results based on 10interviews related to 5patients.

RESULTS: Intense negotiations have been identified in different phases of assisted suicide. Five steps have been identified: the legitimation of the demand of death, the decision to commit suicide, support at the end of life, the day of death and the development of memory.

DISCUSSION: Despite the difficult ordeal, close relatives support the right to assisted suicide, while choosing the people with whom to talk. They have few expectations concerning professionals, mainly related to the provision of the medical certificates. Future interviews will document these first elements. © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS.

Language: fr

Keywords

Family; Sociology; Assisted suicide; Law