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Cited by 95Palliative Care and End-of-Life IssuesPalliative and Oncologic CareEthics and bioethics in healthcare

Early experience with medical assistance in dying in Ontario, Canada: a cohort study

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Downar, James, Fowler, Robert A., Halko, Roxanne, Huyer, Larkin Davenport, Hill, Andrea D., Gibson, Jennifer L.·2020·Canadian Medical Association Journal
DOI 10.1503/cmaj.200016PMC PMC7043822
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) was legalized across Canada in June 2016. Some have expressed concern that patient requests for MAiD might be driven by poor access to palliative care and that social and economic vulnerability of patients may influence access to or receipt of MAiD. To examine these concerns, we describe Ontario's early experience with MAiD and compare MAiD decedents with the general population of decedents in Ontario. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing all MAiD-related deaths with all deaths in Ontario, Canada, between June 7, 2016, and Oct. 31, 2018. Clinical and demographic characteristics were collected for all MAiD decedents and compared with those of all Ontario decedents when possible. We used logistic regression analyses to describe the association of demographic and clinical factors with receipt of MAiD. RESULTS: A total of 2241 patients (50.2% women) were included in the MAiD cohort, and 186 814 in the general Ontario decedent cohort. Recipients of MAiD reported both physical (99.5%) and psychologic suffering (96.4%) before the procedure. In 74.4% of cases, palliative care providers were involved in the patient's care at the time of the MAiD request. The statutory 10-day reflection period was shortened for 26.6% of people. Compared with all Ontario decedents, MAiD recipients were younger (mean 74.4 v. 77.0 yr, standardized difference 0.18);, more likely to be from a higher income quintile (24.9% v. 15.6%, standardized difference across quintiles 0.31); less likely to reside in an institution (6.3% v. 28.0%, standardized difference 0.6); more likely to be married (48.5% v. 40.6%) and less likely to be widowed (25.7% v. 35.8%, standardized difference 0.34); and more likely to have a cancer diagnosis (64.4% v. 27.6%, standardized difference 0.88 for diagnoses comparisons). INTERPRETATION: Recipients of MAiD were younger, had higher income, were substantially less likely to reside in an institution and were more likely to be married than decedents from the general population, suggesting that MAiD is unlikely to be driven by social or economic vulnerability. Given the high prevalence of physical and psychologic suffering, despite involvement of palliative care providers in caring for patients who request MAiD, future studies should aim to improve our understanding and treatment of the specific types of suffering that lead to a MAiD request.

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  • A 2020 study of all MAiD-related deaths across Ontario between June 7, 2016 and October 31, 2018 revealed that recipients of MAiD were younger, had higher income, were substantially less likely to reside in an institution and were more likely to be married than decedents from the general population, suggesting that MAiD is unlikely to be driven by social or economic vulnerability.

    “A 2020 study of all MAiD-related deaths across Ontario between June 7, 2016 and October 31, 2018 revealed that ‘recipients of MAiD were younger, had higher income, were substantially less likely to reside in an institution and were more likely to be married than decedents from the general population, suggesting that MAiD is unlikely to be driven by social or economic vulnerability.’29”

    From Social determinants of health and slippery slopes in assisted dying debates: lessons from Canada (2021) · cites this paper as [29]

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Authors
Downar, J., Fowler, R. A., Halko, R., Huyer, L. D., Hill, A. D., & Gibson, J. L.
Affiliations
University of Ottawa (CA)
ORCID
Venue
Canadian Medical Association Journal
Publisher
CMA Impact Inc.
Published
2020-02-11
Volume
192
Issue
8
Pages
E173-E181
ISSN
  • 0820-3946 (ISSN-L)
  • 1488-2329
DOI
10.1503/cmaj.200016
PMC
PMC7043822
OpenAlex
W3006160362
Cited by
95
References
21
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 16
FWCI
13.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Canadian Medical Association Journal (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
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, assisted dying, access to palliative care, socioeconomic vulnerability, institutionalized patients, income inequality, marital status, cancer, Ontario, deceased persons, end-of-life care, health policy evaluation
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cardiovascular Diseases, Female, Health Services Accessibility, Humans, Income, Institutionalization, Male, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Ontario, Palliative Care, Residence Characteristics, Respiratory Tract Diseases, Retrospective Studies, Cohort Studies, Logistic Models, Suicide, Assisted, Marital Status, Age Distribution, Widowhood, Neurodegenerative Diseases

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