Centre for Policy on Ageing



Preferences for voluntary euthanasia during major depression and following improvement in an elderly population
Author(s)	S C Hooper, K J Vaughan, C C Tennant
Journal title	Australian Journal on Ageing, vol 16, no 1,, 1997
Pages	pp 3-7
Keywords	Depression ; Medical care ; Euthanasia ; Social surveys ; Australia.
Annotation	In this study, 25 patients diagnosed with major depression (DSM-IV) were examined for their preferences regarding voluntary euthanasia (VE) in their present state, as well as in two hypothetical scenarios. They were then treated for depression, and their preferences re-examined. 22 subjects completed both stages of this study. Of these, 18 improved in levels of depression. Before treatment, 8 (44%) indicated a desire for VE, but after treatment, only two desired VE. A similar trend in preference was found for the good prognosis scenario; but for the uncertain prognosis illness, preferences for VE remained high. Major depression in older patients may be associated with very high preferences for VE which is reversible with treatment in most cases. However, there was a suggestion that high levels of acceptance of VE occurring in situations involving serious medical conditions may not reverse following treatment for depression.
Accession Number	CPA-971014222 A
Classmark	ENR: LK: CY: 3F: 7YA
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.