The attitudes of Greek physicians and lay people on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in terminally ill cancer patients.
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.
Parpa
Efi
E
Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece.
Mystakidou
Kyriaki
K
Tsilika
Eleni
E
Sakkas
Pavlos
P
Patiraki
Elisabeth
E
Pistevou-Gombaki
Kyriaki
K
Galanos
Antonis
A
Vlahos
Lambros
L
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