Attitudes of Tennessee physicians toward euthanasia and assisted death.
BACKGROUND
Although many studies of euthanasia and physician-assisted death (PAD) have been performed in the United States, none have specifically addressed attitudes among physicians practicing in Tennessee.


METHODS
In January 2001, we mailed a 30-item survey instrument to a stratified random sample of 1,117 physicians drawn from the Tennessee Licensing Bureau.


RESULTS
Tennessee physicians are highly polarized over the issues of euthanasia and assisted death. A slight majority (47%) did not favor euthanasia or PAD and would oppose the legalization of such procedures. Of the physicians supporting euthanasia or PAD (43%), only 25% would administer a lethal overdose and less than a third would counsel/prescribe medication for an overdose. Attitudes were influenced by three primary factors: ethics, religion, and the role of the physician to relieve pain and suffering.


CONCLUSIONS
Regardless of their overall position, the majority of physicians agreed on basic restrictions and safeguards to prevent abuses and to protect vulnerable patients.
Essinger
Douglas
D
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA. furball@mounet.com
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010819:Physician's Role; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013038:Specialization; D017236:Suicide, Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013714:Tennessee