Contributors from medicine, law, politics, and other fields present theoretical and empirical perspectives on euthanasia, doctor-assisted suicide, and suicide. They analyze data from the 93 physician-assisted deaths overseen by Kevorkian and Reding and other examples, looking at many factors that may play a role in someone's decision to hasten their death. Among their interesting findings is that disability seems to be more important than terminality, and that pain seems to operate differently for men and women. The 17 articles are also published as OMEGA: Journal of Death and Dying vol. 40, no.1 (1999-2000). They are not indexed. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
This volume, published as a special issue from "OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying" presents a number of theoretical and empirical articles on the topic of euthanasia, doctor-assisted suicide and suicide. We have examined the first extended data available in America with regard to the 93 physician-assisted deaths of Drs. Kevorkian and Reding. We examine the roles of biological verses psychological factors in the patient's decision to actively hasten their death. The role of gender, age, social economic status, ethnic-national-religious ancestry and marital-status have been examined in depth through quasi-psychological autopsies when available, often with very troubling implications. In addition, we present some preliminary work on seven cases of physician-assisted suicides in Australia.
Introduction Kalman J. Kaplan
Who Decides? The Connecting Thread of Euthanasia, Eugenics, and
Doctor-Assisted Suicide Kirk Cheyfitz
Hippocrates, Maimonides, and the Doctor's Responsibility Kalman J. Kaplan and
Matthew B. Schwartz
Gender, Pain, and Doctor Involvement: High School Student Attitudes toward
Doctor-Assisted Suicide Kalman J. Kaplan and Eve Bratman
Effect of the Doctor on College Students' Attitudes toward Physician-Assisted
Suicide Victor Wooddell and Kalman J. Kaplan
Doctor Assisted Suicide: An Analysis of Public Opinion of Michigan Adults
Flint Lachenmeier, Kalman J. Kaplan, and Diana Caragacianu
Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: The Pharmacist's Perspective Mark
E. Schneiderhan
Potential Psychodynamic Factors in Physician-Assisted Suicide Stephen H.
Dinwiddie
Psychosocial versus Biomedical Risk Factors in Kevorkian's First Forty-Seven
Physician-Assisted Deaths Kalman J. Kaplan, Flint Lachenmeier, Martin Harrow,
Jyll C. O'Dell, Oren Uziel, Mark Schneiderhan, and Kirk Cheyfitz
Gender and Physician-Assisted Suicide: An Analysis of the Kevorkian Cases,
1990-1997 Silvia Sara Canetto and Janet D. Hollenshead
An Update on the Kevorkian-Reding 93 Physician-Assisted Deaths in Michigan:
Is Kevorkian a Savior, Serial-Killer or Suicidal Martyr? Kalman J. Kaplan,
Jyll O'Dell, Ljubisa J. Dragovic, M. Catherine McKeon, Emily Bentley, and
Kaja L. Telmet
Dispensing Death, Desinning Death: An Exploration of Medical Roles and
Patient Motivation during the Period of Legalized Euthanasia in Australia
Annette Street and David W. Kissane
"Dispensing Death, Desinning Death" by Annette Street and David Kissane: A
Commentary Philip Nitschke
Of Euphemisms and Euthanasia: The Language Games of the Nazi Doctors and Some
Implications for the Modern Euthanasia Movement C. Ben Mitchell
Kevorkian, Martha Wichorek and Us: A Personal Account Kalman J. Kaplan and
Mary Leonardi
Michigan versus Kevorkian Kalman J. Kaplan and M. Catherine McKeon
Physician Hate Thyself: Comments on the Kevorkian Tapes David Gutmann
Looking Death in the Eye: Another Challenge from Doctor Kevorkian Robert
Kastenbaum
Summary Kalman J. Kaplan
Kalman J. Kaplan , Ph.D. is Professor of Clinical Psychology and Director of the Program in Religion, Spirituality and Mental Health in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine and Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Judaism at Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies. He is also a licensed clinical psychologist in Illinois and Michigan.