Discussion or silent accompaniment : a grounded theory study about voluntary stopping of eating and drinking in Switzerland

Stängle, Sabrina; Fringer, André

doi:10.1186/s12904-022-00941-4

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-25052

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	Discussion or silent accompaniment : a grounded theory study about voluntary stopping of eating and drinking in Switzerland
Authors:	Stängle, Sabrina Fringer, André
et. al:	No
DOI:	10.1186/s12904-022-00941-4 10.21256/zhaw-25052
Published in:	BMC Palliative Care
Volume(Issue):	21
Issue:	1
Page(s):	85
Issue Date:	24-May-2022
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	BioMed Central
ISSN:	1472-684X 1472-684X
Language:	English
Subjects:	Counsellor; Ethicists; Focus group interview; Grounded theory; Health care professional; Relative; Voluntary stopping of eating and drinking; Human; Qualitative research; Switzerland; Health personnel
Subject (DDC):	610.73: Nursing
Abstract:	Background: Voluntary stopping of eating and drinking as an option to end life prematurely is gaining international attention, and health care professionals are increasingly confronted with the wish to die through voluntary stopping of eating and drinking by individuals. While to date, there are no guidelines in Switzerland to orient professional support, it is of interest how professionals and other people involved react to the situation. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how health care professionals in Switzerland accompany individuals during voluntary stopping of eating and drinking and to analyze this decision-making process. Methods: Charmaz’s grounded theory constructivist methodology uses guidelines for systematic, theory-driven data analysis underpinned by a pragmatic philosophical perspective. Data were collected in autumn 2016 as part of a regional palliative care conference on voluntary stopping of eating and drinking. All participants of the expert meeting (N=50, including nurses, counsellors, ethicists, medical doctors, politicians, volunteers, and relatives) were invited to the focus group interviews, of which N=47 participated. We conducted fve focus group interviews, each lasting one hour. Results: The results showed that the accompaniment of those willing to die during voluntary stopping of eating and drinking was either discussed and cleared with one another or was unspoken and silently accompanied. Conclusions: The demands of participants for more knowledge must be heeded, and there is also a need for systematic instructions on how to proceed in the case of voluntary stopping of eating and drinking support and what needs to be considered.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/25052
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	CC BY 4.0: Attribution 4.0 International
Departement:	School of Health Sciences
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Nursing (IPF)
Published as part of the ZHAW project:	Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking (VSED) in Switzerland from different points of view
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Gesundheit

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Stängle, S., & Fringer, A. (2022). Discussion or silent accompaniment : a grounded theory study about voluntary stopping of eating and drinking in Switzerland. BMC Palliative Care, 21(1), 85. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-00941-4

Stängle, S. and Fringer, A. (2022) ‘Discussion or silent accompaniment : a grounded theory study about voluntary stopping of eating and drinking in Switzerland’, BMC Palliative Care, 21(1), p. 85. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-00941-4.

S. Stängle and A. Fringer, “Discussion or silent accompaniment : a grounded theory study about voluntary stopping of eating and drinking in Switzerland,” BMC Palliative Care, vol. 21, no. 1, p. 85, May 2022, doi: 10.1186/s12904-022-00941-4.

STÄNGLE, Sabrina und André FRINGER, 2022. Discussion or silent accompaniment : a grounded theory study about voluntary stopping of eating and drinking in Switzerland. BMC Palliative Care. 24 Mai 2022. Bd. 21, Nr. 1, S. 85. DOI 10.1186/s12904-022-00941-4

Stängle, Sabrina, and André Fringer. 2022. “Discussion or Silent Accompaniment : A Grounded Theory Study About Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking in Switzerland.” BMC Palliative Care 21 (1): 85. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-00941-4.

Stängle, Sabrina, and André Fringer. “Discussion or Silent Accompaniment : A Grounded Theory Study About Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking in Switzerland.” BMC Palliative Care, vol. 21, no. 1, May 2022, p. 85, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-00941-4.