Attitudes of adolescent cancer survivors toward end-of-life decisions for minors.

Attitudes of adolescent cancer survivors toward end-of-life decisions for minors.

Pousset G; Bilsen J; De Wilde J; Benoit Y; Verlooy J; Bomans A; Deliens L; Mortier F

Pediatrics

2009

Child; Female; Humans; Male; Euthanasia; Netherlands; Truth Disclosure; Sick Role; Right to Die; adolescent; Psychological; DNAR; Attitude to Death; Suicide; Assisted/px [Psychology]; Interview; decision making; Advance Directives; Passive; Palliative Care/px [Psychology]; Terminal Care/px [Psychology]; Neoplasms/px [Psychology]; Minors/px [Psychology]; Survivors/px [Psychology]; Euthanasia/px [Psychology]; Informed Consent/px [Psychology]

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to investigate the attitudes of adolescent cancer survivors toward end-of-life decisions with life-shortening effects, including nontreatment decisions (NTDs), intensified alleviation of pain and symptoms (APS), and euthanasia, and the influence of illness experience on these attitudes., METHODS: Adolescent cancer survivors were interviewed with a structured questionnaire using hypothetical case descriptions. The results were compared with a study of 1769 adolescents without experience of chronic illness., RESULTS: Eighty-three adolescents, 11 to 18 years of age, were interviewed. In terminal situations, 70% to 90% found requests for NTDs acceptable, 84% requests for APS, and 57% to 64% requests for euthanasia. Requests for end-of-life decisions were less acceptable in nonterminal situations, where 28% found requests for NTDs acceptable, 39% to 47% requests for APS, and 11% to 21% requests for euthanasia. Frequently cited reasons for holding back physicians from administering a lethal drug to a child were the child not being well informed about his or her condition (92%) and the parents' opinion not being asked (92%). Compared with adolescents without experience with chronic illness, cancer survivors were more accepting toward requests for NTDs and APS in terminal situations., CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent cancer survivors, like other adolescents, want to be involved in medical decision-making at the end of life. They value autonomous decision-making, without excluding parents from the process. The experience of living through a life-threatening illness can alter adolescents' attitudes toward requests for NTDs and APS.

2009

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