Travelling to die: views, attitudes and end-of-life preferences of Israeli considering receiving aid-in-dying in Switzerland
Abstract Background Following the increased presence of the Right-to-Die Movement, improved end-of-life options, and the political and legal status of aid-in-dying around the globe, suicide tourism has become a promising alternative for individuals who wish to end their lives. Yet, little is known a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-04-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Ethics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-022-00785-w |
| _version_ | 1811308233719021568 |
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| author | Daniel Sperling |
| author_facet | Daniel Sperling |
| author_sort | Daniel Sperling |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Following the increased presence of the Right-to-Die Movement, improved end-of-life options, and the political and legal status of aid-in-dying around the globe, suicide tourism has become a promising alternative for individuals who wish to end their lives. Yet, little is known about this from the perspective of those who engage in the phenomenon. Methods This study applied the qualitative research approach, following the grounded theory tradition. It includes 11 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Israeli members of the Swiss non-profit Dignitas who contemplated traveling to Switzerland for aid-in-dying. Results Seven themes emerged from the data analysis, including health and functioning; feelings regarding survivorship and existence; interacting with the health sector; attitudes regarding death and dying; suicide; choosing death; and choosing suicide tourism. A significant portion of the participants had experienced suicidal thoughts and had even previously attempted suicide, some more than once. Most of them referred to chronic illnesses, functional disability, and social isolation. They understand suffering within the subjective dimension, namely only by the person who is actually subjected to the disease, ailments, and disability. Participants regarded aid-in-dying in Switzerland as positive thanks to its guaranteed outcome: "beautiful death", compared to "disadvantaged dying" which places a burden on the participants' loved ones throughout the prolonged dying. Most of them do not necessarily want to have their loved ones beside them when they die, and they see no significant meaning in dying in a foreign country to which they have no emotional or civil attachment. Conclusion The desirable approval or tragic refusal by Dignitas to participants' requests for suicide tourism enhances the paradox between the perception of aid-in-dying as a mechanism for fulfilling controlled death and its bureaucratic and materialistic characteristics specifically reflected in a paid, formalized approach to aid-in-dying that cultivate dependency and collaboration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T09:18:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-00fd8ee821e0433390541350be3d5e22 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T09:18:25Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Ethics |
| spelling | doaj.art-00fd8ee821e0433390541350be3d5e222022-12-22T02:52:39ZengBMCBMC Medical Ethics1472-69392022-04-0123111810.1186/s12910-022-00785-wTravelling to die: views, attitudes and end-of-life preferences of Israeli considering receiving aid-in-dying in SwitzerlandDaniel Sperling0Department of Nursing, University of HaifaAbstract Background Following the increased presence of the Right-to-Die Movement, improved end-of-life options, and the political and legal status of aid-in-dying around the globe, suicide tourism has become a promising alternative for individuals who wish to end their lives. Yet, little is known about this from the perspective of those who engage in the phenomenon. Methods This study applied the qualitative research approach, following the grounded theory tradition. It includes 11 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Israeli members of the Swiss non-profit Dignitas who contemplated traveling to Switzerland for aid-in-dying. Results Seven themes emerged from the data analysis, including health and functioning; feelings regarding survivorship and existence; interacting with the health sector; attitudes regarding death and dying; suicide; choosing death; and choosing suicide tourism. A significant portion of the participants had experienced suicidal thoughts and had even previously attempted suicide, some more than once. Most of them referred to chronic illnesses, functional disability, and social isolation. They understand suffering within the subjective dimension, namely only by the person who is actually subjected to the disease, ailments, and disability. Participants regarded aid-in-dying in Switzerland as positive thanks to its guaranteed outcome: "beautiful death", compared to "disadvantaged dying" which places a burden on the participants' loved ones throughout the prolonged dying. Most of them do not necessarily want to have their loved ones beside them when they die, and they see no significant meaning in dying in a foreign country to which they have no emotional or civil attachment. Conclusion The desirable approval or tragic refusal by Dignitas to participants' requests for suicide tourism enhances the paradox between the perception of aid-in-dying as a mechanism for fulfilling controlled death and its bureaucratic and materialistic characteristics specifically reflected in a paid, formalized approach to aid-in-dying that cultivate dependency and collaboration.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-022-00785-wSuicide tourismAid-in-dyingDeath and dyingIsraelQualitative researchDignitas |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Sperling Travelling to die: views, attitudes and end-of-life preferences of Israeli considering receiving aid-in-dying in Switzerland BMC Medical Ethics Suicide tourism Aid-in-dying Death and dying Israel Qualitative research Dignitas |
| title | Travelling to die: views, attitudes and end-of-life preferences of Israeli considering receiving aid-in-dying in Switzerland |
| title_full | Travelling to die: views, attitudes and end-of-life preferences of Israeli considering receiving aid-in-dying in Switzerland |
| title_fullStr | Travelling to die: views, attitudes and end-of-life preferences of Israeli considering receiving aid-in-dying in Switzerland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Travelling to die: views, attitudes and end-of-life preferences of Israeli considering receiving aid-in-dying in Switzerland |
| title_short | Travelling to die: views, attitudes and end-of-life preferences of Israeli considering receiving aid-in-dying in Switzerland |
| title_sort | travelling to die views attitudes and end of life preferences of israeli considering receiving aid in dying in switzerland |
| topic | Suicide tourism Aid-in-dying Death and dying Israel Qualitative research Dignitas |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-022-00785-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielsperling travellingtodieviewsattitudesandendoflifepreferencesofisraeliconsideringreceivingaidindyinginswitzerland |