A comparison of attitudes toward euthanasia among medical students at two Polish universities.
The aim of the study conducted upon completion of obligatory palliative medicine courses among 588 medical students at two universities was to compare their attitudes toward euthanasia. Four hundred ninety-two (84.97 %) students were Catholics; 69 (11.73 %) declared they would practice euthanasia, 303 (51.53 %) would not, and 216 students (36.73 %) were not sure. The idea of euthanasia legalisation was supported by 174 (29.59 %) respondents, opposed by 277 (47.11 %), and 137 (23.30 %) were undecided. Five hundred fifty-six (94.56 %) students did not change their attitudes toward euthanasia after palliative medicine courses. Students from the two universities were found to have different opinions on practicing euthanasia, euthanasia law and possible abuse which might follow euthanasia legalisation, but they shared similar views on the choice of euthanasia if they themselves were incurably ill and the legalisation of euthanasia. Gender and religion influenced students' answers. Differences observed between medical students at the two universities might be related to gender and cultural differences.
Chair and Department of Palliative Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Osiedle Rusa 25 A, 61-245, Poznan, Poland. wojciechleppert@wp.pl
Wojciech
W
Leppert
Leszek
L
Gottwald
Mikolaj
M
Majkowicz
Sylwia
S
Kazmierczak-Lukaszewicz
Maria
M
Forycka
Aleksandra
A
Cialkowska-Rysz
Aleksandra
A
Kotlinska-Lemieszek
D000328:Adult; D024362:Advance Directive Adherence; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016224:Living Wills; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology; D011044:Poland; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012737:Sex Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D017236:Suicide, Assisted / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult