Matches in UGent Biblio for { ?s ?p Aim: This study investigates attitudes towards physician-assisted death in minor patients of all physicians involved in the treatment of dying minor patients in Flanders, Belgium, and how these attitudes are related to physicians’ and patients’ characteristics and actual medical end-of-life practices. Method : Physicians signing death certificates of all 250 patients aged 1-17 years who died between June 2007 and November 2008 in Flanders, Belgium, were sent an anonymous questionnaire on their attitudes and end-of-life practices in the death concerned. Results : Response was obtained from 124 physicians for 71% of eligible cases (N=149). Sixty-nine percent of physicians favors an extension of the Belgian law on euthanasia to include minors, 27% thinks this should be done by setting clear age limits. Sixty-one percent thought parental consent is required before taking life-shortening decisions and 52% found the administration of a lethal drug to a non competent minor on parental request was acceptable. Cluster-analysis yielded a cluster acceptant of (68% of physicians) and a cluster (32% of physicians) reluctant towards physician-assisted death in minors. Controlling for physician specialty and patient characteristics, acceptant physicians were more likely to engage in various practices with a (co-)intention of shortening the patient’s life than reluctant physicians. Conclusion : A majority of Flemish physicians involved in the care of dying children seems to accept physician-assisted dying in children under certain circumstances and favors an amendment to the euthanasia law to include minor patients. The approach favored is assessing competency rather than setting an arbitrary age-limit. These stances may encourage policy-makers to develop guidelines for medical end-of-life practices in minors that address specific challenges arising in this patient group, including how children and parents should be involved in the decision-making process.. }
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- aggregation abstract "Aim: This study investigates attitudes towards physician-assisted death in minor patients of all physicians involved in the treatment of dying minor patients in Flanders, Belgium, and how these attitudes are related to physicians’ and patients’ characteristics and actual medical end-of-life practices. Method : Physicians signing death certificates of all 250 patients aged 1-17 years who died between June 2007 and November 2008 in Flanders, Belgium, were sent an anonymous questionnaire on their attitudes and end-of-life practices in the death concerned. Results : Response was obtained from 124 physicians for 71% of eligible cases (N=149). Sixty-nine percent of physicians favors an extension of the Belgian law on euthanasia to include minors, 27% thinks this should be done by setting clear age limits. Sixty-one percent thought parental consent is required before taking life-shortening decisions and 52% found the administration of a lethal drug to a non competent minor on parental request was acceptable. Cluster-analysis yielded a cluster acceptant of (68% of physicians) and a cluster (32% of physicians) reluctant towards physician-assisted death in minors. Controlling for physician specialty and patient characteristics, acceptant physicians were more likely to engage in various practices with a (co-)intention of shortening the patient’s life than reluctant physicians. Conclusion : A majority of Flemish physicians involved in the care of dying children seems to accept physician-assisted dying in children under certain circumstances and favors an amendment to the euthanasia law to include minor patients. The approach favored is assessing competency rather than setting an arbitrary age-limit. These stances may encourage policy-makers to develop guidelines for medical end-of-life practices in minors that address specific challenges arising in this patient group, including how children and parents should be involved in the decision-making process.".