Quality of life in terminal illness and factors leading to requests for euthanasia: Perspectives of carers and Blue nurses

This study is a major component of a PhD thesis. It is an empirical study which seeks to describe “facts” as perceived primarily by the carers of patients who had died approximately 12 months previously, and from those “facts” to seek to understand the quality of life of terminally ill patients and their carers and to answer the study question: “what factors influence request for euthanasia?”

Earlier research of the author into end-of-life decision- making indicated strong support from community members for a change in the law to make euthanasia a legal option for terminally ill people.