logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
4m 30s

The double awareness of the wish to hast...

SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD.
About this episode

This episode features Professor Raymond Voltz (Department of Palliative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Duesseldorf (CIO ABCD), Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Center for Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany)

 

What is already known about the topic?

  • The wish to hasten death is frequent in patients with serious illness and can associated with immense burden, potentially leading to suicidality or a wish for assisted suicide.
  • Many patients retain their will to live throughout their entire illness trajectory, even in palliative stages and at the end of life.
  • In some studies, both phenomena are found to be negatively correlated, yet simultaneous expressions of both a high wish to hasten death and a high will to live are possible.

 

What this paper adds?

  • We confirm the negative correlation between the wish to hasten death and the will to live over the observation time of 4–6week after an open conversation in the group analysis.
  • However, there was a substantial number of outliers of this pattern with clinically relevant changes in both phenomen.
  • Three illustrative cases show that factors like patient personality and individual situation influence uncommon trajectories of wish to hasten death and will to live.

 

Implications for practice, theory, or policy

  • Clinical and research assessment should be aware of the fact that a wish to hasten death does not necessarily imply a low will to live and vice versa, thus both phenomena should be addressed simultaneously and proactively.
  • The application of secondary analysis using an integrative mixed-methods-approach of validated questionnaires and in-depth interviews might be effective to reveal the nature of ambiguous or seemingly paradoxical phenomena such as double awareness of wish to hasten death and will to live.
  • As the double awareness of the wish to hasten death and the will to live is common at the end of life, but can be hard to endure, health professionals should develop an open and accepting attitude to support patients in dealing with it.

 

Full paper available from:    

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/02692163241269689

 

If you would like to record a podcast about your published (or accepted) Palliative Medicine paper, please contact Dr Amara Nwosu: 

a.nwosu@lancaster.ac.uk

Up next
Jun 9
Asian family members’ participation in advance care planning: An integrative review
This episode features Jing-Da Pan (Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China School of Nursing, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China) What is already known about the top ... Show More
3m 47s
Jun 9
The experience of nurses when providing care across acts that may be perceived as death hastening: A qualitative evidence synthesis
This episode features Victoria Ali (Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK. Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Bradford, UK) What is already known about the topic? Nurses deliver care for patients and those important to them across acts that may intentionally or poten ... Show More
4m 41s
Feb 2025
Changes in perception of prognosis in the last year of life of patients with advanced cancer and its associated factors: Longitudinal results of the eQuiPe study.
This episode features Moyke Versluis (Research and Development, Netherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation (IKNL), Utrecht, The Netherlands Graduate school of Social and behavioral sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands). What is already known about the topic? ... Show More
4m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2024
#156 Hospice 101: Nuts and Bolts
Sponsor: Freed is an AI scribe that listens and writes your note in < 30 seconds. Freed learns your style over time and is HIPAA compliant! Use the code CORE50 to get 50% off your first month with FreedBehind the Scenes Youtube InterviewShow notes & TranscriptSubscribe to Core I ... Show More
39m 17s
Oct 2018
Elders and Youth
Elders, youth, respect, and dreams.   
49m 8s
Jun 2024
Palliative Care - Common Questions Answered
Doctors Lisa and Sara talk to Palliative Care Consultant Lesley Henson and Specialty Doctor Caitriona MacDermott for a discussion on common issues Primary Care Clinicians face when dealing with patients at the end of life and their families. We discuss Hospice admission criteria ... Show More
37m 47s
Jun 25
S7E21: Supporting LGBTIQ+ individuals in Aged Care
In this week’s episode, we recognise Pride month as SPA’s Jess Kaplonyi (she/her), speaks with Chris Hunt (she/her) and Dr Louisa Smith (she/her) from LGBTIQ+ Health Australia’s Silver Rainbow program. They discuss the experiences and support needs of LGBTIQ+ individuals living w ... Show More
36m 41s
Aug 2024
Palliative Care x Dr. Janet Abrahm Part 1
In Part 1 we discuss how to explain palliative care to patients, pain and anti-emetic management, non-pharmacologic strategies, and current innovations within palliative care.  We are so honored to have Dr. Janet Abrahm here with us who is a national leader in the field of pallia ... Show More
27m 44s
Jan 2025
Clinical Challenges in Surgical Palliative Care: Goals-of-Care Conversations
Join University of Washington’s surgical palliative care team for another engaging role play episode, where we tackle the challenging goals-of-care conversation. Using the VitalTalk REMAP framework, we explore effective communication strategies, highlight common pitfalls, and sim ... Show More
33m 57s
Jul 2022
Management of Diabetes Mellitus in Primary Care
This week’s episode is designed for primary care clinicians wanting an overview of current diabetes management. Doctors Lisa and Sara are joined by Dr Marlon Morais and Nicola Milne to talk first about Type 1 diabetes briefly (from the GP point of view) before going on to discuss ... Show More
47m 11s
Feb 2024
#145 Heart Failure in Older Adults & Guardianship: Gray Matter Segment
How do you manage GDMT in a frail older adult? When is a guardian needed and what is the process for obtaining guardianship?Sponsor: Echonous, the maker of Kosmos, is redefining point-of-care ultrasound at half the price (or less) of comparable carts. Mention Core IM at the Demo ... Show More
38m 35s