End-of-Life Care Struggles, Assisted Death, and HIV Status Disclosure

Health Issues
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Institution/ Affiliation
Struggle at end-of-life care
End-of-Life care presents significant challenges not only to the health care providers but also to patients and family members. It helps to improve the physical, psychological, spiritual and social life of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases. According to the World Health organisation (2020), nearly 40 million patients require end-of-life care. Unfortunately, only 14% of the patients who need these services receive it. Among the patients who need end of life of care are the elderly, who often experience pain, who are susceptible to loneliness, and face drug complications (Woo et al., 2006).
Unluckily, health professionals often lack the knowledge and skills essential in caring for patients at the end of life. For instance, some clinicians lack training and knowledge required in communicating the bad news to the patients and families as well to make informed decisions. Equally, they face distress on discussions about death while at the same time lack better compensation plans (Woo et al., 2006). As such, given the distinctive procedure of each individual’s death, the strategies used to control health professionals, families and patients are insufficient, thus making end life care complicated and psychologically puzzling process.
The challenges faced by patients at the end-of-life are sizeable and devastating. Ranging from depression, physical pain, loss of dignity, hopelessness, and a variety of intense emotions such as distress, fear, and sadness, are the critical challenges dying patients undergo. 90% end-of-life, patients experience physical pain that alters their behaviour (Woo et al., 2006). For instance, 90% of patients suffering from cancer-related pain respond to pain-relieving measures, and many fear that their suffering will progress unrelieved. On the other hand, 60% of patients at the end-of-life care experience psychological distress. For example, over 50% of patients with varying stages of cancer experience psychiatric disorders (Woo et al., 2006). Similarly, patients who have cancer and HIV infections are often prone to suicidal ideation due to hopelessness, confusion and enervation. Therefore, coping with these challenges complicates end-of-life care.
Difference between allowing patient to die and physician-assisted death
The ethical distinction of allowing and assisting a patient to die has been a controversial subject among health practitioners. Traditionally, the two actions are morally different due to the philosophies of human agency and causality. That is, traditionally, all forms euthanasia were considered immoral and were prohibited. However, today people do not understand the difference mainly because they have moved from the idea of fate from a traditional origination to modern design of causatives thus focusing on the moral assessment that focuses on the effects of an action (Petrillo et al., 2017). This explains why many countries have legalized euthanasia and the high number of patients undertaking the act.
Currently, physician-assisted death is prevalent at the end of life and have been legalized in some jurisdictions. Research shows that nearly 3% of all deaths are physician-assisted death...