Karen E van den Hondel1, Priscilla Punt2, Tina Dorn3, Manon Ceelen3, Francée Aarts4, Dianne van der Zande5, Sieb van Kuijk6, Wilma Duijst6, René Stumpel7, Taco van Mesdag8, Will Vervoort9, Anke IJzermans10, Philip de Vries11, Jeroen Verweij12, Jacquo van Remmen13, Roland Van Hooren14, Bart Kruyver15, Marcel Buster3, Udo J L Reijnders16. 1. Public Health Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Electronic address: kvdhondel@ggd.amsterdam.nl. 2. Forensic Physicians Rotterdam Rijnmond, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 3. Public Health Service, Department of Epidemiology, Health Promotion & Health Care Innovation/Department of Forensic Medicine, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. 4. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. 5. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, The Hague, the Netherlands. 6. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Zwolle, the Netherlands. 7. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Bussum, the Netherlands. 8. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Groningen, the Netherlands. 9. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Tilburg, the Netherlands. 10. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Den Bosch, the Netherlands. 11. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Leiden, the Netherlands. 12. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Utrecht, the Netherlands. 13. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Gelderland Midden, the Netherlands. 14. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Maastricht, the Netherlands. 15. Public Heath Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Hollands Noorden, the Netherlands. 16. Public Health Service, Department of Forensic Medicine, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: In 2012 and 2013 a movie and a book about a 'dignified end of life' were published in the Netherlands. These items described suicide using an 'exit bag' to establish asphyxiation using helium (the helium method). 'Right-to-die-organisations' inform the elderly about this method. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the use of suicidal asphyxiation by means of the helium method substituted other, related, methods following its publication in the Netherlands. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analysed suicides in the Netherlands over the period from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2019. We compared the number of deaths caused by the helium method with other, related, cases. Secondly, we related these deaths to the total number of inhabitants and suicides recorded by Statistics Netherlands. RESULTS: The study showed a stable trend in the use of the helium method in the period 2012-2019 and this was the same for the other, related methods. Individuals using the helium method were significantly younger than those using other, related, methods. At the scene of death, information about suicide and suicide notes were found more often at 'helium method' cases than with the 'other, related, methods' cases. Family was significantly more often present during a helium method suicide than during suicide by other, related, methods. DISCUSSION: The number of suicides by the helium method and other, related, cases is stable in the Netherlands over the past years. Therefore, we conclude that there is no substitution effect within this category of suicides. Whilst 'right-to-die-organisations' strive to inform the old and sick of the helium method, it is noteworthy that the individuals using the helium method are significantly younger than the individuals who choose other, related, methods.
INTRODUCTION: In 2012 and 2013 a movie and a book about a 'dignified end of life' were published in the Netherlands. These items described suicide using an 'exit bag' to establish asphyxiation using helium (the helium method). 'Right-to-die-organisations' inform the elderly about this method. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the use of suicidal asphyxiation by means of the helium method substituted other, related, methods following its publication in the Netherlands. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analysed suicides in the Netherlands over the period from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2019. We compared the number of deaths caused by the helium method with other, related, cases. Secondly, we related these deaths to the total number of inhabitants and suicides recorded by Statistics Netherlands. RESULTS: The study showed a stable trend in the use of the helium method in the period 2012-2019 and this was the same for the other, related methods. Individuals using the helium method were significantly younger than those using other, related, methods. At the scene of death, information about suicide and suicide notes were found more often at 'helium method' cases than with the 'other, related, methods' cases. Family was significantly more often present during a helium method suicide than during suicide by other, related, methods. DISCUSSION: The number of suicides by the helium method and other, related, cases is stable in the Netherlands over the past years. Therefore, we conclude that there is no substitution effect within this category of suicides. Whilst 'right-to-die-organisations' strive to inform the old and sick of the helium method, it is noteworthy that the individuals using the helium method are significantly younger than the individuals who choose other, related, methods.
Authors: Anna Carfora; Raffaella Petrella; Giusy Ambrosio; Pasquale Mascolo; Bruno Liguori; Christian Juhnke; Carlo Pietro Campobasso; Thomas Keller Journal: Toxics Date: 2022-07-28