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Qualitative
Expressed desire for hastened death by patients with advanced cancer had several meanings and uses

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.8.3.96

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    Coyle N, Sculco L. Expressed desire for hastened death in seven patients living with advanced cancer: a phenomenologic inquiry. Oncol Nurs Forum 2004;31:699–709.OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science

    Q What are the meanings and uses of an expressed desire for hastened death in patients with advanced cancer?

    DESIGN

    Qualitative study using phenomenologic inquiry.

    SETTING

    An urban cancer research centre.

    PATIENTS

    7 English speaking patients (age range 40–79 y, 4 men) with advanced cancer who had expressed a desire for hastened death on ⩾1 occasion.

    METHODS

    Data were collected during a series of 2–6 indepth interviews that lasted 30–60 minutes. Time periods for each interview series ranged from 2 days to 6 months. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed, and themes were developed through content analysis.

    MAIN FINDINGS

    Chronic triggers that preceded the expressed desire for hastened death included debilitating progression of disease; perception of chronic and progressive loss of social support, dignity, autonomy, and sense of worth; and perception of being a burden to self or others in the present or future. Acute events preceding expression of a desire for hastened death …

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    Footnotes

    • For correspondence: Dr N Coyle, Pain and Palliative Care Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA. coylenmskcc.org with copy to editor rose_maryearthlink.net

    • Source of funding: no external funding.