Brazilian literature on bioethics and suicide: a systematic review

Abstract

This systematic literature review mapped Brazilian academic production with bioethical approaches to suicide, aiming to contribute to the debate on the ethical conflicts involved in this phenomenon and to collaborate in its prevention. Bibliographical search was conducted on the SciELO and Google Scholar databases, as well as institutional databases of graduate programs in bioethics, using the descriptors “suicídio,” “suicídio e bioética” and “suicídio e ética.” Twenty publications met the inclusion criteria and were grouped and analyzed in three axes: general reflections on suicide stigmatization; moral dilemmas regarding suicide and bioethical principles; and ethical-political analysis of the phenomenon. The little research found on the subject is surprising given its relevance for public health and moral reflection on end-of-life.