title: Determinants of Public Attitudes towards Euthanasia in Adults and Physician-Assisted Death in Neonates in Austria: A National Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Euthanasia remains a controversial topic in both public discourses and legislation. Although some determinants of acceptance of euthanasia and physician-assisted death have been identified in previous studies, there is still a shortage of information whether different forms of euthanasia are supported by the same or different sub-populations and whether authoritarian personality dispositions are linked to attitudes towards euthanasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A large, representative face-to-face survey was conducted in Austria in 2014 (n = 1,971). Respondents faced three scenarios of euthanasia and one of physician assisted death differing regarding the level of specificity, voluntariness and subject, requiring either approval or rejection: (1) abstract description of euthanasia, (2) abstract description of physician-assisted suicide, (3) the case of euthanasia of a terminally-ill 79-year old cancer patient, and (4) the case of non-voluntary, physician assisted death of a severely disabled or ill neonate. A number of potential determinants for rejection ordered in three categories (socio-demographic, personal experience, orientations) including authoritarianism were tested via multiple logistic regression analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rejection was highest in the case of the neonate (69%) and lowest for the case of the older cancer patient (35%). A consistent negative impact of religiosity on the acceptance across all scenarios and differential effects for socio-economic status, area of residence, religious confession, liberalism, and authoritarianism were found. Individuals with a stronger authoritarian personality disposition were more likely to reject physician-assisted suicide for adults but at the same time also more likely to approve of physician-assisted death of a disabled neonate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Euthanasia in adults was supported by a partially different sub-population than assisted death of disabled neonates.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stolz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burkert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Großschädl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Éva
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Rásky
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Willibald J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Stronegger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Freidl
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001317:Austria; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011639:Public Opinion; D017236:Suicide, Assisted; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult