Support for Euthanasia Depends on Circumstances
massey-university
Thu Mar 25 2010 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Support for Euthanasia Depends on Circumstances
Thursday, 25 March 2010, 9:22 am
Press Release: Massey University
Massey Survey Shows Support for Euthanasia Depends on Circumstances
Seventy percent of New Zealanders support assisted suicide for someone with a painful incurable disease, provided a doctor gives the assistance. However, support drops to around 45% if the person is not in pain or does not have an incurable disease, and opposition increases from 20% to 40%.
These findings come from a Massey University School of Communication, Journalism & Marketing mail survey of 935 New Zealanders, conducted between July and November 2009. The euthanasia questions were included in the School’s annual survey of political and social issues carried out as part of the International Social Survey Programme. The survey sampled respondents from the Electoral Roll and had a response rate of 44%.
The specific wording of the questions asked and the responses to them are shown in the box below.
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?
Yes 69%
No 19%
Don’t Know 12%
Suppose a person has an incurable disease, but with medication is not in pain. Do you think that doctors should be allowed by law to end the patient’s life if the person requests it?
Yes 45%
No 39%
Don’t Know 16%
Suppose a person is not in pain and does not have an incurable disease but is permanently and completely dependent on others for all their physical needs. Do you think that doctors should be allowed by law to end the patient’s life if the person requests it?
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Yes 44%
No 39%
Don’t Know 18%
Professor Philip Gendall, head of the research team, said the survey results suggest that the management of pain is a critical issue influencing attitudes to euthanasia, but that within the population there are groups that are either in favour of or opposed to euthanasia regardless of the circumstances. Around 20% do not believe assisted suicide should ever be allowed; while about twice this number believe it should be legal for a doctor to end a patient’s life if this is what the patient wants. The rest of the population either have no firm view or their opinion depends on the particular circumstances of the patient and who is giving them assistance.
ENDS
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