Table 3.

 Themes identified in each study

Themes	Study reference
	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37
Confronting mortality:
Choosing life or death	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	—	Yes	Yes	—	—	—	Yes	Yes	—	Yes	—
Being a burden	—	Yes	—	—	—	Yes	—	—	Yes	—	—	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	—
Living in limbo	—	Yes	—	—	—	Yes	—	Yes	—	—	—	—	Yes	—	—	—	Yes	—
Lack of choice:
Medical decisions	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lack of information	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	Yes	—	—	Yes	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	—	Yes	—	Yes	Yes
Constraints on resources	—	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	—	—
Gaining knowledge of options:
Peer influence	—	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	Yes	—	Yes	—	—	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Timing of information	—	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	Yes	Yes	—	Yes	—	Yes	—	—	Yes	—	Yes	Yes
Weighing alternatives:
Maintaining lifestyle	—	—	Yes	—	—	Yes	—	—	—	—	Yes	Yes	—	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Family influences	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	—	—	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	—
Maintaining the status quo	—	—	Yes	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Yes	—	—	Yes	Yes	—	—	Yes