Table 2 Attitudes towards PAS and voluntary euthanasia (NOBAS & own items) (N = 529)
Strongly disagree | Disagree to some extent | Neither agree nor disagree | Agree to some extent | Strongly agree | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SL | NSL | SL | NSL | SL | NSL | SL | NSL | SL | NSL | |
Q1: PAS in terminally ill patients with a short remaining life expectancy | 5 (3.0%) | 3 (0.8%) | 5 (3.0%) | 9 (2.5%) | 5 (3.0%) | 5 (1.4%) | 43 (25.6%) | 71 (19.7%) | 110 (65.5%) | 273 (75.6%) |
Q2: Euthanasia in terminally ill patients with a short remaining life expectancy | 6 (3.6%) | 15 (4.2%) | 9 (5.4%) | 20 (5.5%) | 5 (3.0%) | 12 (3.3%) | 45 (26.8%) | 85 (23.5%) | 103 (61.3%) | 229 (63.4%) |
Q3: PAS in patients with an incurable chronic illness, but not terminally ill | 13 (7.7% | 16 (4.4%) | 20 (11.9%) | 41 (11.4%) | 11 (6.5%) | 25 (6.9%) | 55 (32.7%) | 143 (39.6%) | 69 (41.1%) | 136 (37.7%) |
Q4: PAS in the case of mental illness alone | 23 (13.7%) | 34 (9.4%) | 28 (16.7%) | 69 (19.1%) | 15 (8.9%) | 66 (18.3%) | 56 (33.3%) | 120 (33.2%) | 46 (27.4%) | 72 (19.9%) |
Q5: PAS for people with tiredness of life who want to die but have no serious illness | 31 (18.5%) | 68 (18.8%) | 34 (20.2%) | 80 (22.2%) | 20 (11.9%) | 57 (15.8%) | 44 (26.2%) | 100 (27.7%) | 39 (23.2%) | 56 (15.5%) |
Q6: The legalization of PAS may result in weak groups experiencing pressure to request aid in dying | 17 (10.1%) | 47 (13.0%) | 54 (32.1%) | 135 (37.4%) | 33 (19.6%) | 62 (17.2%) | 47 (28.0%) | 82 (22.7%) | 17 (10.1%) | 35 (9.7%) |
Q7: Instead of allowing PAS, we should develop and expand the provision of palliative care to the dying | 15 (8.9%) | 27 (7.5%) | 52 (31.0%) | 83 (23.0%) | 58 (34.5%) | 149 (41.3%) | 15 (8.9%) | 49 (13.6%) | 28 (16.7%) | 53 (14.7%) |
Q8: Treatment limitation can sometimes be the right decision, to avoid a distressing prolongation of the dying process | 3 (1.8%) | 5 (1.4%) | 1 (0.6%) | 11 (3.0%) | 11 (6.5%) | 10 (2.8%) | 61 (36.3%) | 108 (29.9%) | 92 (54.8%) | 227 (62.9%) |
Q9: I support the decision that PAS is now allowed in Germany | 9 (5.4%) | 8 (2.2%) | 6 (3.6%) | 7 (1.9%) | 8 (4.8%) | 16 (4.4%) | 45 (26.8%) | 67 (18.6%) | 100 (59.5) | 263 (72.9%) |
Q10: I am concerned that right to die organizations are financially enriching themselves | 41 (24.4%) | 65 (18.0%) | 48 (28.6%) | 149 (41.3%) | 30 (17.9%) | 69 (19.1%) | 34 (20.2%) | 59 (16.3%) | 15 (8.9%) | 19 (5.3%) |
Q11: I would make use of PAS if I were suffering from a serious physical illness | 9 (5.4%) | 14 (3.9%) | 16 (9.5%) | 33 (9.1%) | 35 (20.8%) | 47 (13.0%) | 38 (22.6%) | 120 (33.2%) | 70 (41.7%) | 147 (40.7%) |
Q12: I can generally understand why people would want to die through PAS | 3 (1.8%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (0.6%) | 1 (0.3%) | 2 (1.2%) | 5 (1.4%) | 43 (25.6%) | 70 (19.4%) | 119 (70.8%) | 285 (78.9%) |
Q13: I am concerned that people may choose PAS too quickly and, for example, refuse palliative care | 16 (9.5%) | 30 (8.3%) | 63 (37.5%) | 142 (39.3%) | 20 (11.9%) | 52 (14.4%) | 52 (31.0%) | 109 (30.2%) | 17 (10.1%) | 28 (7.8%) |
Q14: I cannot understand the wish for PAS at all | 127 (75.6%) | 305 (84.5%) | 29 (17.3%) | 48 (13.3%) | 6 (3.6%) | 7 (1.9%) | 3 (1.8%) | 1 (0.3%) | 3 (1.8%) | 0 (0%) |
Q15: I think doctors in Germany should inform patients about the possibility of PAS as an alternative to treatment options | 8 (4.8%) | 17 (4.7%) | 15 (8.9%) | 47 (13.0%) | 20 (11.9%) | 39 (10.8%) | 69 (41.1%) | 123 (34.1%) | 56 (33.3%) | 135 (37.4%) |
Q16: I would make use of PAS if I were suffering from a serious mental illness | 21 (12.5%) | 32 (8.9%) | 28 (16.7%) | 77 (21.3%) | 43 (25.6%) | 103 (28.5%) | 35 (20.8%) | 85 (23.5%) | 41 (24.4%) | 64 (17.7%) |