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Table 1 Characteristics of patients with EAS request assessed by SCEN physicians, by experienced difficulty and year (absolute numbers and rounded percentages)

From: Complexities in consultations in case of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide: a survey among SCEN physicians

 

2015 Most difficult consultation (N = 498)

2016/2017 Most recent consultation

 

Difficult (N = 203)

Not difficult (N = 735)

 

N

%

(95% CI)

N

%

(95% CI)

N

%

(95% CI)

Age

  < 70 years

208

45

(40–49)

78

39

(32–46)

260

36

(32–39)

 70–79 years

101

22

(18–26)

36

18

(13–24)

240

33

(30–36)

  ≥ 80 years

157

34

(30–38)

86

43

(36–50)

229

31

(28–35)

Sex (female)

255

53

(48–57)

104

52

(44–58)

339

46

(43–50)

Main diagnosis

 Cancer

162

34

(29–38)

73

36

(30–43)

551

75

(72–78)

 Heart failure/CVA

42

9

(6–11)

23

11

(8–16)

35

5

(3–6)

 MS/ALS

21

4

(3–6)

7

4

(2–7)

22

3

(2–4)

 COPD

17

4

(2–5)

7

4

(2–7)

33

5

(3–6)

 Accumulation of age-related health problems

53

11

(8–14)

29

14

(10–20)

28

4

(3–5)

 Dementia

44

9

(7–12)

17

8

(5–13)

9

1

(1–2)

 Psychiatric disorder

46

10

(7–12)

18

9

(6–13)

3

0

(0–1)

 Other

99

21

(17–24)

28

14

(10–19)

53

7

(6–9)

  1. Missing values ranging from 2 to 32