• Eva Elizabeth Bolt, H Roeline Pasman, and Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen.
• Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Ee.bolt@amsterdamumc.nl.
• Ann Fam Med. 2023 Nov 1; 21 (6): 534544534-544.

PurposeVoluntary stopping of eating and drinking (VSED) is a controversial method to hasten death. Little is known about why and how people come to VSED. This study assessed patients' motives, how patients decide on VSED, and the ways in which they prepare for VSED and involve others.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative study in the Netherlands of 29 patients; 24 started VSED and 19 died. Thirteen patients were included before or during VSED and 16 afterward. We interviewed 17 patients, 18 relatives, and 10 professional caregivers. Inductive ideal-type analysis was used to describe typologies.ResultsThree patient groups emerged. The first group (12 patients) were older people who felt life was completed, for whom control was important. They prepared well for VSED, but could overlook the need for help and the emotional burden their decision could place on relatives. The second group (11 patients) were older care-dependent patients with a poor quality of life. They sometimes started VSED suddenly, and they relied heavily on (informal) caregivers to prepare and execute their plan. The third group (6 patients) were psychiatric patients with a long-standing but fluctuating death wish, most of whom were younger. They often prepared for VSED in secrecy or started VSED unprepared.ConclusionsPatients embarking on a trajectory toward VSED are a very diverse group, with different care needs. Guidance for care during VSED needs to be applicable to all 3 groups.© 2023 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

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