Attitudes Toward Euthanasia for Patients Who Suffer From Physical or Mental Illness
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Bradley, Graham L
Duffy, Amanda
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Abstract
This study examined whether attitudes toward euthanasia vary with type of illness and with the source of the desire to end the patient’s life. The study used a 3 (illness type: cancer, schizophrenia, depression) × 2 (euthanasia type: patient-initiated, family-initiated) between-groups experimental design. An online questionnaire was administered to 324 employees and students from a Australian public university following random assignment of participants to one of the six vignette-based conditions. Attitudes toward euthanasia were more positive for patients with a physical illness than a mental illness. For a patient with cancer or depression, but not schizophrenia, approval was greater for patient-, than, family-, initiated euthanasia. Relationships between illness type and attitudes were mediated by perceptions of patient autonomy and illness controllability. Findings have implications for debate, practices, and legislation regarding euthanasia.
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Omega: Journal of Death and Dying
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© Kfir Levin, Graham Bradley & Amanda Duffy, Attitudes Toward Euthanasia for Patients Who Suffer From Physical or Mental Illness, OMEGA — Journal of Death and Dying, pp. 1-23, 2018. Copyright 2018 The Authors. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.
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Psychology
Psychology of ageing