Table 4

Themes and subthemes present in each of the studies included in this review

Lavery et al 1 Kelly et al 2 Coyle and Sculco24 Mak and Elwyn7 Pearlman et al 23 Schroepfer8 Nissim et al 6 Stiel et al 20 Dees et al 9 Ohnsorge et al 10 Ohnsorge et al 11 Ohnsorge et al 4 Nilmanat et al 22 Pestinger et al 21
Suffering✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Reasons for the WTHD
 Physical factors✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
 Psychological factors✓✓✓✓✓✓✓–✓–✓✓✓✓
 Social factors✓✓✓✓✓–✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
 Loss of self✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Meanings of the WTHD
 Cry for help✓✓✓✓✓✓✓–✓–✓✓✓–
 To end suffering✓–✓✓✓✓✓–✓–✓✓✓✓
 To spare others from the burden of oneself✓✓✓✓✓–✓✓✓✓✓✓✓–
 To preserve self-determination to the very end✓–✓✓✓✓✓–✓–✓✓✓✓
 Will to live but not in this way–✓✓✓✓✓–✓✓✓✓✓–
Functions of the WTHD
 WTHD as a means of communicating–✓––––––––✓––
 WTHD as a form of control✓–✓✓✓✓✓–✓✓✓✓✓✓
Lived experience of a timeline towards dying and death✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓

  • WTHD, wish to hasten death.