Are unmet needs driving requests for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)? A qualitative study of Canadian MAiD providers
Abstract
In this study, 20 medical assistance in dying (MAiD) providers were interviewed about their experience when assessing patients with unmet needs, including medical, financial or social needs. Collectively they had experience with over 3700 MAiD assessments and found that unmet needs were rare. In the cases where patients had unmet needs, these were usually related to loneliness and poverty. This led to the ethical dilemma of providers deciding to honor their wishes for MAiD, knowing that some of their suffering was due to society's failure to provide for them.
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Canadian provider studies indicate that unmet social or medical needs are not commonly identified as primary drivers of MAiD requests.
“Canadian provider studies likewise indicate that unmet social or medical needs are not commonly identified as primary drivers of MAiD requests.24”
From Medical Assistance in Dying for the Sole Underlying Condition of Mental Disorder (MAiD MD-SUMC): an analysis and qualitative evidence synthesis (2026) · cites this paper as [24]
Qualitative research with Canadian MAiD providers suggests that unmet health or social needs are sometimes present in cases where MAiD is requested, although such requests are typically multifactorial and not attributable to a single gap in care.
“Qualitative research with Canadian MAiD providers suggests that unmet health or social needs are sometimes present in cases where MAiD is requested, although such requests are typically multifactorial and not attributable to a single gap in care.”
From Medical Assistance in Dying for the Sole Underlying Condition of Mental Disorder (MAiD MD-SUMC): an analysis and qualitative evidence synthesis (2026) · cites this paper as [24]
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- Authors
- Wiebe, E. R., Kelly, M., Spiegel, L., Menard, J.-F., Hawse, E., & Dickinson, R.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- Not Applicable, not applicable, Canada
- Universite de Sherbrooke, Law, Sherbrooke, Canada
- Corresponding author
- Wiebe, Ellen R.
- ORCID
- Wiebe, Ellen R.
- Venue
- Death Studies
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2022-03-04
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 204-210
- ISSN
- 0748-1187 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-7683
- OpenAlex
- W4214886656
- Cited by
- 14
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 2.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Death Studies (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Ethics and bioethics in healthcare
- Keywords
- medical assistance in dying, unmet needs, loneliness, poverty, ethical dilemmas, end-of-life care, social determinants of health, patient suffering
- MeSH terms
- Canada, Humans, Suicide, Assisted, Qualitative Research
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