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Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the United

States.(1) Based on the assumption that suicide is not a rational

choice, society has long sought to prevent or discourage the

practice. In fact, society has generally regarded a suicide attempt

as a plea for help or an indication of a need for psychiatric

treatment. The debate about legalizing assisted suicide and

euthanasia has challenged these assumptions, suggesting that for at

least some individuals, society should shift from prevention to

toleration or assistance.



Central to the current discussion of assisted suicide and

euthanasia is a need to understand the nature of suicide, the

motivation of individuals who commit suicide, and the specific risk

factors. Suicide outside the context of terminal or chronic illness

has been the subject of extensive study by sociologists,

psychiatrists, and epidemiologists. Their findings shed light on

the phenomenon of suicide overall, and on the motivations of those

who request suicide when facing a terminal or severe illness.

According to available data, only a small percentage of terminally

ill or severely ill patients attempt or commit suicide. What

distinguishes their life circumstances, medical conditions, or

outlook from those who are also severely ill and do not attempt

suicide? What do they have in common with individuals who do not

face physical illness and attempt or commit suicide?