title: End-of-life research on patients' attitudes in Germany: a feasibility study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  So far, hardly any experience exists whether end-of-life research on patients' attitudes towards hastened death in Germany is feasible and how it is perceived by the patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  During the initial phase of a validation study of the German version of the Schedule of Attitudes towards Hastened Death, we documented reasons for non-inclusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Of 124 patients seen on the participating palliative care units, 18 (15%) were finally included in the study. Reasons for non-inclusion were mainly due to the clinical status of the patients; the German specific history of involuntary euthanasia during the Nazi regime did not prevent patients to participate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that end-of-life research in Germany is indeed feasible, however, faces difficulties similar to the international experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine, University Hospital, Cologne, Germany. raymond.voltz@uk-koeln.de
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Voltz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galushko
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walisko
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pfaff
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nauck
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Radbruch
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ostgathe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003144:Communication Barriers; D017281:Cost of Illness; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods*