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Table 2 Factors associated to requesting EAS (people above the age of 16 whose death was non-sudden)

From: Factors associated with requesting and receiving euthanasia: a nationwide mortality follow-back study with a focus on patients with psychiatric disorders, dementia, or an accumulation of health problems related to old age

 

Absolute number in sample

No EAS request

EAS request

Univariable logistic regression

 

Multivariable logistic regression

 

Sensitivity analysis

 

N = 5361

N = 4243

Row %†

N = 1118

Row %†

Odds ratio (95% CI)

p

Odds ratio (95% CI)

p

Odds ratio (95% CI)

p

Patient characteristics

 Sex

  Male

2672

87.1

12.9

Reference

     

  Female

2689

90.3

9.7

0.84 (0.74–0.96)

0.011

–

 

–

 

 Age

  17–64

1028

80.2

19.8

2.29 (1.92–2.73)

< 0.001

1.65 (1.33–2.04)

< 0.001

2.13 (1.75–2.59)

< 0.001

  65–79

1936

86.0

14.0

1.82 (1.56–2.12)

< 0.001

1.38 (1.15–1.66)

0.001

1.59 (1.35–1.88)

< 0.001

  80+

2397

92.2

7.8

Reference

 

Reference

 

Reference

 

 Marital status

  Married

2538

85.9

14.1

Reference

     

  Unmarried

2823

90.9

9.1

0.71 (0.63–0.81)

< 0.001

–

 

–

 

 Ethnicity‡

  Non-Western immigrants

605

96.9

3.1

Reference

 

Reference

   

  Dutch, Western immigrants

4722

88.6

11.4

8.36 (5.38–12.98)

< 0.001

8.49 (5.37–13.42)

< 0.001

9.24 (5.91–14.44)

< 0.001

 Cause of death

  Cancer

3128

81.1

18.9

Reference

 

Reference

 

Reference

 

  Cardiovascular disorders

540

94.2

5.8

0.29 (0.22–0.40)

< 0.001

0.64 (0.46–0.89)

0.009

0.40 (0.30–0.55)

< 0.001

  Pulmonary disorders

285

87.7

12.3

0.77 (0.57–1.03)

0.077

1.94 (1.37–2.76)

< 0.001

0.95 (0.70–1.29)

0.772

  Neurological disorders

518

94.3

5.7

0.57 (0.45–0.73)

< 0.001

1.85 (1.37–2.51)

< 0.001

0.69 (0.53–0.89)

0.004

  Other

890

94.2

5.8

0.42 (0.34–0.52)

< 0.001

1.42 (1.08–1.88)

0.012

0.55 (0.43–0.69)

< 0.001

 A psychiatric disorder

  No

5178

88.8

11.2

Reference

 

NE

 

NE

 

  Yes

183

88.6

11.4

0.99 (0.69–1.43)

0.976

    

 An accumulation of health problems

  No

4443

87.7

12.3

Reference

 

Reference

   

  Yes

918

92.0

8.0

0.50 (0.40–0.61)

< 0.001

0.69 (0.53–0.90)

0.005

–

 

 Dementia

  No

4558

86.0

14.0

Reference

 

Reference

   

  Yes

803

97.9

2.1

0.13 (0.09–0.19)

< 0.001

0.18 (0.12–0.28)

< 0.001

NE

 

Care characteristics

 Attending physician§

  General practitioner

3301

81.2

18.8

Reference

 

Reference

   

  Medical specialist

897

96.7

3.3

0.09 (0.07–0.13)

< 0.001

0.07 (0.05–0.11)

< 0.001

NE

 

  Elderly care physician

1163

96.1

3.9

0.14 (0.10–0.18)

< 0.001

0.17 (0.13–0.23)

< 0.001

NE

 

Care givers involved in the last month of life

 Palliative care consultant/team

  Not involved

4360

90.1

9.9

Reference

     

  Involved

1001

81.6

18.4

1.43 (1.22–1.68)

< 0.001

–

–

–

 

 Specialist pain control

  Not involved

5166

89.3

10.7

Reference

 

Reference

 

Reference

 

  Involved

195

69.7

30.2

2.31 (1.71–3.11)

< 0.001

2.08 (1.47–2.93)

< 0.001

1.82 (1.32–2.50)

< 0.001

 Psychiatrist/psychologist

  Not involved

5050

89.1

10.9

Reference

 

Reference

 

Reference

 

  Involved

311

84.6

15.4

1.44 (1.11–1.86)

0.006

4.50 (3.15–6.41)

< 0.001

2.05 (1.54–2.73)

< 0.001

 Pastor

  Not involved

4698

88.5

11.5

Reference

 

Reference

 

Reference

 

  Involved

663

90.9

9.1

0.55 (0.44–0.70)

< 0.001

0.77 (0.59–1.00)

0.050

0.53 (0.42–0.68)

< 0.001

  1. – indicates the item was entered in the regression but p > 0.10 and consequently eliminated in the stepwise procedure; NE indicates the item was not entered in the regression
  2. †Weighted row percentage
  3. ‡34 missing (0.6%)