THE ROLE OF THE SOCIAL NETWORK IN ACTIVE EUTHANASIA AND PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE

Objective: To obtain insight into the involvement of a patient's socia l network in the process leading to the administration of euthanasia a nd assisted suicide (EAS). Design: Descriptive, retrospective. Method: Data were collected by means of anonymous questionnaires sent to a ra ndom sample of 521 general practitioners (GPs) in the Province of Nort h Holland and 521 GPs from the rest of the Netherlands and all 713 Dut ch nursing home physicians (NHPs). The data were collected over the pe riod 1986 to June 1990 inclusive. Results: GPs and NHPs had discussion s most often with the partner of the patient about the patient's reque st for EAS, the doctor's intention to administer EAS and the actual ad ministering of EAS. According to both the GPs and the NHPs the social network practically always agreed with the doctor's decision to admini ster EAS. The persons who were most often present at the patient's bed side when EAS was administered were the patient's partner and children (29%). Often, especially in the cases of GPs, the decision not to rep ort EAS was determined by the desire of relatives and/or the physician not to involve the relatives in a judicial inquiry. Conclusion: To a large extent the social network was involved in the patient's request for EAS, the doctor's intention to administer EAS and the actual admin istering of EAS. This seems to be important both for good decision-mak ing with regard to EAS and for helping relatives to come to terms with the loss of a dear one.