Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40488395›Full record

ArticleAustralasian journal on ageing2025

'This is perfect, thank you': Research poetry on gratitude for voluntary assisted dying in Victoria, Australia.

Ben P White, Ruthie Jeanneret, Sarah Holland-Batt, Evonne Miller

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Australasian journal on ageing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Ben P WhiteFaculty of Business and Law, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3365-939X
Ruthie JeanneretFaculty of Business and Law, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Sarah Holland-BattCreative Writing and Literary Studies, School of Creative Arts, Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Evonne MillerQUT Design Lab, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0577-3438

Funding

Australian Research Council
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo undertake the first scholarly examination in Australia of how those involved in seeking voluntary assisted dying (VAD) discuss the concept of gratitude for this new end-of-life choice. The article shares findings through research poetry, an arts-based form of research where poems are developed from data (here, interview transcripts).

methodsTwenty-eight semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 participants (32 family caregivers; one patient). Participants were asked about their VAD experience, with caregivers also asked about the experience of their family member. Data were thematically analysed, focusing on expressions of gratitude for VAD. Miller's five-step process was adopted to create the research poetry.

resultsGratitude for VAD was a significant concept for participants. We identified three gratitude themes relating to what people were grateful for, who people were grateful to and other feelings mixed in with their gratitude, such as ambivalence. We created six poems to illuminate these findings and give voice to the gratitude expressed by patients and family caregivers about VAD.

conclusionsGratitude for VAD was emphasised by participants as an important part of their experience and something that can help family caregivers cope after a VAD death. Expressions of gratitude can support health professionals providing VAD and create support for law reform in other jurisdictions. Research poetry reflecting this gratitude can contribute to reducing the stigma attached to VAD and enhance awareness of this relatively new end-of-life choice. More research is needed into the emotional experience of those involved in seeking and receiving VAD in Australia.

Indexed as

Attitude to DeathCaregiversEmotionsEuthanasia, Active, VoluntaryPoetry as TopicSuicide, AssistedAdaptation, PsychologicalAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedQualitative Researchassisted suicideeuthanasia active voluntarygratituderesearch poetryvoluntary assisted dying

Identifiers

PMID40488395
PMCPMC12147528

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.