Background: Oregon's Death with Dignity Act (ODDA), which legalized physician-assisted
suicide (PAS) for terminally ill individuals, was enacted in 1997. Eighty-six percent of the 171
patients who have died by PAS were enrolled in hospice.
Objective: To survey hospice chaplains regarding their views on the ODDA and experiences
working with patients who request PAS.
Design: Single, anonymous, mailed survey.
Subjects: All chaplains affiliated with one of Oregon's 50 hospices.
Results: Fifty of 77 hospice chaplains whom we identified (65%) returned the survey. Fortytwo
percent of respondents opposed the ODDA and 40% supported it. Over half of respondents
had, in the previous 3 years, worked with a patient who had made an explicit request
for assisted suicide. Conversation with patients around PAS focused on the role of faith and
spirituality in this decision, reasons for wanting hastened death, and family concerns or reactions
to PAS. Chaplains did not feel that they had a strong influence on the patient's decisions
about PAS (mean score of 4 on a 0–10 scale), though three chaplains reported a patient
who withdrew their request for PAS because of the chaplain's involvement. Chaplains reported
provision of a nonjudgmental presence helped the relationship with the patient.
Conclusion: Oregon hospice chaplains are divided in their views on legalized PAS, but primarily
see their role to deliver support to patients no matter what the patient's final decision
regarding PAS.
