Over three quarters of voters in a poll conducted on bmj.com to coincide with this theme issue considered freedom from unpleasant symptoms during dying as the most important characteristic of a good death.
Table 1.
| Non-healthcare professionals (%) | Healthcare professionals (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| What are your three most important characteristics of a good death? | ||
| Choice over where I die | 32 | 30 |
| Choice over when I die (with possibility of bringing my death forward) | 42 | 27 |
| Choice over with whom I die | 28 | 25 |
| Freedom from unpleasant symptoms (pain, shortness of breath) | 80 | 77 |
| Freedom from heroic medical interventions | 20 | 35 |
| With specialist palliative care services available | 15 | 17 |
| With my spiritual needs addressed | 19 | 28 |
| With psychological support available | 15 | 10 |
| With my financial matters resolved | 18 | 22 |
| With bereavement care for my family | 26 | 24 |
| Where would you prefer to die? | ||
| Home | 67 | 76 |
| Hospice | 7 | 6 |
| Hospital | 2 | 12 |
| No preference | 23 | 15 |
Over half the respondents wanted control over the timing or place of their death. By Monday 21 July, 692 people had responded to the questions.
For the 171 non-healthcare professionals who had voted, the top three characteristics of a good death were: freedom from unpleasant symptoms such as pain or shortness of breath (80% of voters), choice over timing of death (42%), and choice over place of death (32%).
For the 521 healthcare professionals who had voted, the top three were: freedom from unpleasant symptoms (77%), freedom from heroic medical interventions (35%), and choice over place of death (30%).