Professional paper
HOSPICE/PALLIATIVE MEDICINE OR EUTHANASIA. CULTURE OF LIFE VERSUS CULTURE OF DEATH
Anica Jušić
; Zagreb
Abstract
Palliative medicine approaches man as a whole with physical, emotional, spiritual and social characteristics. The inclusion of nearer and farther, animate and inanimate environment in anthropocentric sense is also beyond dispute. These are characteristics that define, develop or destroy that which is expressed by a live individual — man. Euthanasia interrupts life destroying an individual to save it from suffering.
Palliative medicine promotes the culture of life at its end, and euthanasia deals with the culture of death. The connection of medical achievements of the best quality with the sympathetic care for the patient and his family together with the emotional and spiritual support, considerably decrease the demand for euthanasia and make it superfluous.
According to world statistics dying is a process which has been neglected in the field of medicine, teaching and research. Professorship and specialization in the field of palliative medicine exist only in Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and Norway.
Since more than 50 million people die annually, World Health Organization (WHO) gives the highest priority to palliative medicine.
Keywords
culture of death; euthanasia; hospice movement; palliative medicine
Hrčak ID:
141542
URI
Publication date:
15.9.1997.
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