The desire for death of a terminally ill patient can be scored based on observing the person's attitudes and statements about death.
|
Description
|
Desire
|
Score
|
|
no information or refused to answer
|
unknown
|
0
|
|
no desire to die soon
|
none
|
1
|
|
has had occasional fleeting thoughts
|
slight
|
2
|
|
often feels that he/she would like to die, but not always
|
mild
|
3
|
|
has a genuine desire for death; has discussed this desire with others, but is not consumed with the prospect
|
moderate
|
4
|
|
has difficulty diverting thoughts from the desire to die; prays for death
|
strong
|
5
|
|
obsessed with the wish for death; talks of little else; asks for euthanasia; prays for death almost constantly
|
extreme
|
6
|
from Table 1, page 1187
