Judgments of laypersons and general practitioners on justifiability and legality of providing assistance to die to a terminally ill patient: a view from New Zealand.
As part of a larger study, four decisions related to a vignette scenario of the elective death of a terminally ill patient suffering intractable pain are examined (doctor supplying information and drugs, assisting patient to take the drugs, or administering a lethal injection). Judgments on justifiability and legality of actions were obtained from laypersons and general practitioners (GPs) in Auckland, New Zealand. The results show that over 72% of laypersons and over 30% of GPs judged all four actions justified. Despite illegality a significant number of laypersons and some doctors were unsure of the legal status of actions. The current law in New Zealand prohibiting physician-assisted death may not reflect judgments by the majority of laypersons or 30% of general practitioners on the justifiability of elective death options for a terminally ill patient with intractable pain. Judgments on justifiability may be related to confusion over the legality of actions.
Mitchell
Kay
K
Department of Psychology, University of Auckland, Tamaki Campus, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand. k.mitchell@auckland.ac.nz
Glynn Owens
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent; D007600:Judgment / Q000941:ethics; D018447:Medical Futility; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D010166:Palliative Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D011584:Psychology / Q000193:education; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D017236:Suicide, Assisted / Q000941:ethics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires