PREFERENCES FOR VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA DURING MAJOR DEPRESSION AND FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENT IN AN ELDERLY POPULATION

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the effects of improve ment or recovery from major depression on the preferences for voluntar y euthanasia (VE) of elderly patients. Twenty five consecutive patient s diagnosed with major depression (DSM-IV) were examined for their pre ferences regarding VE in their present state, as well as in two hypoth etical scenarios. They sere then treated for depression, and their pre ferences re-examined Twenty two subjects completed both stages of the study. Of these, 18 improved ill levels of depression. Before treatmen t eight (44%) indicated a desire for VE, but after treatment only two (11%) desired VE. A similar trend in preference was found for the good prognosis scenario; but for the uncertain prognosis illness, preferen ces for VE remained high. Major depression in elderly patient may be a ssociated with very hgh levels of preference for VE which is reversibl e with treatment in the majority of cases. However, there was a sugges tion that high levels of acceptance of VE occurring in situations invo lving serious medical illnesses may not reverse following treatment fo r depression.