Forgoing artificial nutrition or hydration at the end of life: a large cross-sectional survey in Belgium

Objectives To examine the frequency and characteristics of decisions to forgo artificial nutrition and/or hydration (ANH) at the end of life. Design Postal questionnaire survey regarding end-of-life decisions (including ANH) to physicians certifying a large representative sample (n=6927) of Belgian death certificates in 2007. Setting Flanders, Belgium, 2007. Participants Treating physicians of deceased patients. Results Response rate was 58.4%. A decision to forgo ANH occurred in 6.6% of all deaths (4.2% withheld, 3.0% withdrawn). Being female, dying in a care home or hospital and suffering fr... Mehr ...