ArticlePloS one2023
Existential suffering as a motive for assisted suicide: Difficulties, acceptability, management and roles from the perspectives of Swiss professionals.
Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Spirituality and spiritual care in palliative and terminal illness: a systematic review and epistemic meta-analysis from physicians' hermeneutic and bioethical perspective.BMC palliative care · 2025Pooled it
- On the Concept of Existential Disease.Health care analysis : HCA : journal of health philosophy and policy · 2026Article
- Article
- [Psychotherapists' role in requests for assisted suicide-an open question].Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz · 2026Review
- Psychedelic therapy and cultural humility.Translational psychiatry · 2026Review
- A Qualitative Scoping Review of Massage and Massage Therapy on the Mental Health and Well-being of Individuals Living with a Serious and Potentially Life-limiting Physical Illness.International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork · 2025Article
- Assisted Suicide in Austria: Nurses' Understanding of Patients' Requests and the Role of Patient Symptoms.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- "Suffering is only intolerable when nobody cares"… is it?Palliative & supportive care · 2025Article
- Views and experiences on writing certificates for assisted dying: interviews with Swedish physicians.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Nursing ethical dimensions of euthanasia and medically assisted suicide for older people in need of long-term care.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundExistential suffering is often a part of the requests for assisted suicide (AS). Its definitions have gained in clarity recently and refer to a distress arising from an inner realization that life has lost its meaning. There is however a lack of consensus on how to manage existential suffering, especially in a country where AS is legal and little is known about the difficulties faced by professionals confronted with these situations.
objectivesTo explore the perspectives of Swiss professionals involved in end-of-life care and AS on the management of existential suffering when it is part of AS requests, taking into account the question of roles, as well as on the difficulties they encounter along the way and their views on the acceptability of existential suffering as a motive for AS.
methodsA qualitative study based on face-to-face interviews was performed among twenty-five participants from the fields of palliative and primary care as well as from EXIT right-to-die organization. A semi-structured interview guide exploring four themes was used. Elements from the grounded theory approach were applied.
resultsAlmost all participants reported experiencing difficulties when facing existential suffering. Opinions regarding the acceptability of existential suffering in accessing AS were divided. Concerning its management, participants referred to the notion of being present, showing respect, seeking to understand the causes of suffering, helping give meaning, working together, psychological support, spiritual support, relieving physical symptoms and palliative sedation.
conclusionThis study offers a unique opportunity to reflect on what are desirable responses to existential suffering when it is part of AS requests. Existential suffering is plural and implies a multiplicity of responses as well. These situations remain however difficult and controversial according to Swiss professionals. Clinicians' education should further address these issues and give professionals the tools to better take care of these people.
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