[Evaluation of attitude towards euthanasia expressed by first year medical students from Szczecin, Greifswald and Lund medical faculties].
BACKGROUND
Medical students' attitude towards euthanasia is a very important ethical problem because they may grapple with this question as future doctors. The aim of the study was to compare the attitude to euthanasia in the group of first year medical students from Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald (Germany) and Lund University (Sweden).


METHODS
The study is based on anonymous filling out of the questionnaire about euthanasia by first year medical students. 233 students (61%) answered the questionnaire. There were 65 Polish students, 71 German and 97 Swedish ones. In the group of respondents there were 129 (55%) women and 104 (45%) men. The average age was 22.3 years.


RESULTS
82% of questioned German students declared the acceptance of euthanasia and it was a significantly higher percentage than in comparison to 61% of Swedish students (p < 0.007) and 48% Polish ones (p < 0.0001). Poles were more often against euthanasia (29%) in comparison to 12% of Swedes (p < 0.02) and 3% of Germans (p < 0.001). Unnatural support of patient's life was the most often accepted by students clinical situation to use euthanasia. Significantly more Germans than Poles (79% vs 48%; p < 0.005) and Swedes (79% vs 50%; p < 0.02) accepted euthanasia in the group of questioned students declaring themselves as believers.


CONCLUSIONS
German students in the highest percentage declared the acceptance of euthanasia and Polish ones--the highest objection. It may be connected with religious beliefs as the element of cultural differences among above three countries. It seems very proper to continue the study among older medical students.
Mierzecki
Artur
A
Samodzielna Pracownia Kształcenia Lekarza Rodzinnego Pomorskiej Akademii Medycznej w Szczecinie ul. Rybacka 1, 70-204 Szczecin.
Rekawek
Krzysztof
K
Swiatkowski
Jan
J
Hoelscher
Mave
M
Yelva
Lilia
L
Wiśniewska
Magdalena
M
Boczar
Tomasz
T
Chojnicki
Michał
M
Montnémery
Peter
P
Hannich
Hans-Joachim
HJ
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel / Q000208:ethnology*; D001293:Attitude to Death / Q000208:ethnology*; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005065:Euthanasia; D028601:Euthanasia, Active; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008020:Life Support Care; D008297:Male; D011044:Poland; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012297:Right to Die; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden