title: Demographic and psychological correlates of New Zealanders support for euthanasia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the distribution of New Zealanders' support towards the legalisation of euthanasia and examine demographic and psychological factors associated with these attitudes.
  
  
  METHODS
  15,822 participants responded to the 2014/15 New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS) survey. This survey included an item on people's attitudes towards euthanasia, and information on their demographic and psychological characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of New Zealanders expressed support for euthanasia, which was assessed by asking "Suppose a person has a painful incurable disease. Do you think that doctors should be allowed by law to end the patient's life if the patient requests it?" Non-religious, liberal, younger, employed, non-parents and those living in rural areas were more supportive. Those of Pacific or Asian ethnicity, with lower income and higher deprivation, education and socio-economic status were less supportive. Furthermore, those high on extraversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism showed more support, while those high on agreeableness and honesty-humility exhibited less support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is strong public support for euthanasia when people are asked whether doctors should be allowed by law to end the life of a patient with a painful incurable disease upon their request. There are reliable demographic and personality differences in support for euthanasia.
authors.affiliation: Post-Graduate Student, School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland.
authors.forename: Carol Hj
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care, Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, Westgate Medical Centre, Auckland.
authors.forename: Isabelle M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Duck
authors.affiliation: Associate Prof, School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland.
authors.forename: Chris G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Sibley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D005065:Euthanasia / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult