title: The attitudes of Greek physicians and lay people on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in terminally ill cancer patients.
abstract: The purpose of this article is to explore the attitudes of lay people and physicians regarding euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in terminally ill cancer patients in Greece. The sample consisted of 141 physicians and 173 lay people. A survey questionnaire was used concerning issues such as euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, and so forth. Many physicians (42.6%) and lay people (25.4%, P = .002) reported that in the case of a cardiac and/or respiratory arrest, there would not be an effort to revive a terminally ill cancer patient. Only 8.1% of lay people and 2.1% of physicians agreed on physician-assisted suicide (P = .023). Many of the respondents, especially physicians, supported sedation but not euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. However, many of the respondents would prefer the legalization of a terminally ill patient's hastened death.
authors.affiliation: Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Efi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parpa
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mystakidou
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsilika
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sakkas
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patiraki
authors.forename: Kyriaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pistevou-Gombaki
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galanos
authors.forename: Lambros
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vlahos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing; D011639:Public Opinion; D012107:Research Design; D017236:Suicide, Assisted; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires