What About the Family? A Content Analysis of International Legislative Frameworks and Guidelines on Assisted Dying
Abstract
When a person chooses assisted dying, the impact on their family can be profound. Legislation and professional guidelines not only regulate and standardize practice, but also support the delivery of high-quality care. Within this framework, bereavement care plays a vital role by helping families prepare for the death and potentially reducing the risk of prolonged grief. This study explored how current legislation and clinical guidelines on assisted dying address the role and needs of family members, particularly regarding bereavement care. It examined the frequency of the term “family” and its synonyms, as well as the extent to which bereavement support services for relatives are described. A content analysis was conducted on legislative and guideline documents from countries where physician-administered assisted dying is legal. Documents were collected between August 2022 and June 2023, and both quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to assess references to families and descriptions of bereavement care. In total, 22 legislative frameworks and 38 clinical guidelines from nine countries were analyzed. References to family appeared far more often in guidelines (N = 1,213) than in legislation (N = 147). The frequency of these terms varied significantly, with guidelines ranging from two to 83 mentions, and legislation from zero to 18. Eight key themes related to bereavement care emerged, though specific guidance was often lacking. To improve quality care, there is a…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Global, regional, and national burden of hepatitis B, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
- A meta‐analysis of anal cancer incidence by risk group: Toward a unified anal cancer risk scale
- Global fertility in 204 countries and territories, 1950–2021, with forecasts to 2100: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021
- Exercise interventions in Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Prognostic Significance of Carbonic Anhydrase IX Expression in Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis
- Glucocorticoid Resistance: Is It a Requisite for Increased Cytokine Production in Depression? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.