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The association of depression with the wish to die and the high rate of depression in terminally ill patients have caused many to question the legalization of assisted suicide for these patients. In this descriptive study of 58 terminally ill Oregon patients requesting aid under the state’s Death with Dignity Act, investigators assessed the presence of depression and the wish to die with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID) and standardized rating scales for depression, anxiety, and hopelessness.
Fifteen patients (26%) were clinically depressed (SCID diagnosis, 12; elevated depression ratings, 3), 6 of whom felt that depression contributed to their wish to die. By study end, 42 patients died; 18 had received a prescript…