Attitudes on euthanasia among medical students and doctors in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional study
Abstract Background Euthanasia is a topic of intense ethical debate and it is illegal in most countries at present, including Sri Lanka. The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study of medical students and practicing doctors was to explore the acceptance of euthanasia and physician assisted sui...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Ethics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-021-00731-2 |
| _version_ | 1818701414212304896 |
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| author | H. M. M. T. B. Herath K. W. S. M. Wijayawardhana U. I. Wickramarachchi Chaturaka Rodrigo |
| author_facet | H. M. M. T. B. Herath K. W. S. M. Wijayawardhana U. I. Wickramarachchi Chaturaka Rodrigo |
| author_sort | H. M. M. T. B. Herath |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Euthanasia is a topic of intense ethical debate and it is illegal in most countries at present, including Sri Lanka. The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study of medical students and practicing doctors was to explore the acceptance of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (PAS), and factors influencing this opinion. Methods A customised online questionnaire which explored opinions on euthanasia was administered to first and final year medical undergraduates in University of Colombo and practicing doctors with more than 5 years of work experience at The National Hospital of Sri Lanka. Attitudes on euthanasia and PAS were also assessed with the attitudes towards euthanasia (ATE) Scale, which is a 10-item questionnaire. Results A total of 425 individuals responded (males: 178, 42%, age: median – 27 years), which included 143 (33.6%) first-year medical undergraduates, 141 (33.2%) final-year medical undergraduates and 141 (33.2%) practicing doctors. More participants (200, 47.1%) favoured legalizing euthanasia than those directly opposing it (110, 25.9%), but a significant proportion (27%) remained undecided. The mean scores of ATE questionnaire from the whole sample were generally unfavourable towards euthanasia/PAS. Accepting euthanasia as an option for oneself (p = < 0.001) was the strongest predictor of favouring euthanasia/PAS or supporting its legalization. Conclusion In this cross-sectional survey, more respondents supported legalisation of euthanasia in Sri Lanka than those openly opposing it. Yet, a significant minority that responded as “undecided” for legalisation, were more likely to have unfavourable ATE. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T15:20:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f1dcd0efb3c4406b122aff24c0e9aa0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T15:20:27Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Ethics |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f1dcd0efb3c4406b122aff24c0e9aa02022-12-21T21:43:24ZengBMCBMC Medical Ethics1472-69392021-12-012211810.1186/s12910-021-00731-2Attitudes on euthanasia among medical students and doctors in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional studyH. M. M. T. B. Herath0K. W. S. M. Wijayawardhana1U. I. Wickramarachchi2Chaturaka Rodrigo3Institute of Neurology, National Hospital of Sri LankaDepartment of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of ColomboDepartment of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of MoratuwaDepartment of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW SydneyAbstract Background Euthanasia is a topic of intense ethical debate and it is illegal in most countries at present, including Sri Lanka. The aim of this descriptive cross-sectional study of medical students and practicing doctors was to explore the acceptance of euthanasia and physician assisted suicide (PAS), and factors influencing this opinion. Methods A customised online questionnaire which explored opinions on euthanasia was administered to first and final year medical undergraduates in University of Colombo and practicing doctors with more than 5 years of work experience at The National Hospital of Sri Lanka. Attitudes on euthanasia and PAS were also assessed with the attitudes towards euthanasia (ATE) Scale, which is a 10-item questionnaire. Results A total of 425 individuals responded (males: 178, 42%, age: median – 27 years), which included 143 (33.6%) first-year medical undergraduates, 141 (33.2%) final-year medical undergraduates and 141 (33.2%) practicing doctors. More participants (200, 47.1%) favoured legalizing euthanasia than those directly opposing it (110, 25.9%), but a significant proportion (27%) remained undecided. The mean scores of ATE questionnaire from the whole sample were generally unfavourable towards euthanasia/PAS. Accepting euthanasia as an option for oneself (p = < 0.001) was the strongest predictor of favouring euthanasia/PAS or supporting its legalization. Conclusion In this cross-sectional survey, more respondents supported legalisation of euthanasia in Sri Lanka than those openly opposing it. Yet, a significant minority that responded as “undecided” for legalisation, were more likely to have unfavourable ATE.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-021-00731-2EuthanasiaSri LankaCross sectional studyPhysician assisted suicide |
| spellingShingle | H. M. M. T. B. Herath K. W. S. M. Wijayawardhana U. I. Wickramarachchi Chaturaka Rodrigo Attitudes on euthanasia among medical students and doctors in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional study BMC Medical Ethics Euthanasia Sri Lanka Cross sectional study Physician assisted suicide |
| title | Attitudes on euthanasia among medical students and doctors in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional study |
| title_full | Attitudes on euthanasia among medical students and doctors in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Attitudes on euthanasia among medical students and doctors in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attitudes on euthanasia among medical students and doctors in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional study |
| title_short | Attitudes on euthanasia among medical students and doctors in Sri Lanka: a cross sectional study |
| title_sort | attitudes on euthanasia among medical students and doctors in sri lanka a cross sectional study |
| topic | Euthanasia Sri Lanka Cross sectional study Physician assisted suicide |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-021-00731-2 |
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