Biomedical subjects

N B Swarte

Publications and source records attributed to N B Swarte.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Positive feelings among terminally ill cancer patients.

For a realistic perspective on what it is like to have cancer and be in the last months of life, it is necessary to also study the positive feelings people may still experience. We set out to describe positive feelings experienced by terminally ill patients. The Depression Adjective Checklist was completed by 96 cancer patients with an estimated life expectancy of less than 3 months. On average patients endorsed 30% (3.6/12) of the positive mood items, and 25% (5.4/22) of the negative mood items. The larger part of terminally ill cancer patients with an estimated life expectancy of less than 3 months reported one or more positive mood states. A positive mood state such as 'being interested' was endorsed by more than half (65%) of the patients, other positive feelings were endorsed by a substantial proportion of patients, for example: 38% of patients endorsed feeling 'jovial' and 35% reported being 'optimistic'. Although having incurable cancer often leads to feelings of depression, mood is variable and many patients experience at least some positive feelings.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Guidelines for an acceptable euthanasia procedure.

The Netherlands is one of the very few countries that has guidelines for the practice of euthanasia. Each year there are about 9700 explicit requests for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (EAS), of which approximately 3600 patients are agreed upon in The Netherlands. Other countries have criticized the Dutch policy concerning EAS. First of all, it has been suggested that palliative care in The Netherlands is not adequate and that euthanasia is often requested by patients with depression. Additionally, part of the criticism is based on the regulation of the euthanasia procedure in The Netherlands. This chapter describes the guidelines for the procedure for euthanasia in The Netherlands, and focuses on some of the practical problems and issues of euthanasia. Also, the current situation concerning euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in The Netherlands is summarized and described.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide.

In the Netherlands there are about 9700 explicit requests for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide (EAS) each year, of which approximately 3600 are granted. Other countries have criticized the Dutch policy concerning EAS. It has been suggested that palliative care in the Netherlands is not adequate and that euthanasia is often requested by patients with depression. In addition, this criticism is partly based on the firm stance that 'human life has an absolute value and a human being has under no circumstances the right of self-determination over his or her own life'. Many aspects of EAS are currently the focus of attention in the literature. In this review the following aspects of EAS are discussed: ethics, judicial questions, the relationship between depression and euthanasia, and the impact of EAS on members of the family. Also, the current situation concerning EAS in the Netherlands is summarized and described. Despite the fact that EAS have been widely discussed in the literature, the association between depression and the number of requests for EAS remains to be discovered. It is also not yet known what the effects of EAS are on members of the family, and whether unnatural death causes a higher incidence of complicated grief.

Adult↗