title: Attitudes among the general Austrian population towards neonatal euthanasia: a survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Groningen Protocol aims at providing guidance in end-of-life decision-making for severely impaired newborns. Since its publication in 2005 many bioethicists and health care professionals have written articles in response. However, only very little is known about the opinion among the general population on this subject. The aim of this study was to present the general attitude towards neonatal euthanasia (NE) among the Austrian population and the factors associated with the respondents' opinion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted among the general Austrian population. Computer-assisted telephone interviews were performed with 1,000 interviewees aged 16 years and older. Binary logistic regression was performed in order to determine factors that are independently associated with the respondents' opinion about neonatal euthanasia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While 63.6% of the participants rejected the idea of neonatal euthanasia for severely impaired newborns, 36.4% opted either in favor or were undecided. Regression analysis has shown the respondents' educational level (p = 0.005) and experience in the care of terminally ill persons (p = 0.001) to be factors that are positively associated with the rejection of neonatal euthanasia, whereas a higher age was associated with a lower degree of rejection (p = 0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that the majority of the Austrian population rejects the idea of neonatal euthanasia for severely impaired newborns. However, given the increasing levels of rejection of NE among the younger generations and among people with a higher educational level, it cannot be precluded that the rejection rate might in future increase even further, rather than decrease.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldnagl
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Freidl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Universitaetsstrasse 6, 8010 Graz, Austria. willibald.stronegger@medunigraz.at.
authors.forename: Willibald J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Stronegger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001317:Austria; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D004522:Educational Status; D005065:Euthanasia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011639:Public Opinion; D019452:Terminally Ill; D055815:Young Adult