Perceptions and Attitudes of Medical Students and Doctors on Euthanasia

Abstract

Abstract Background The concept of Euthanasia has recently come into the spotlight, and cases like that of Aruna Shanbaug have heavily influenced people’s opinion the topic. Whether euthanasia- done with the intention of ending suffering that otherwise cannot be helped should truly be supported or not. The thoughts on this topic- especially by those who work closely with patients who suffer from terminal illnesses- healthcare providers must be analyzed. Their perception and views on legalizing the procedure, and their hesitancy or lack thereof to perform such a procedure would give the rest of the world a clearer picture- a better standpoint to understand what to do. This study attempted to quantify and analyze the views of doctors and medical students on euthanasia. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 212 doctors and medical students of a private medical college in South India was conducted to determine their current attitudes toward euthanasia. Results The majority of the participants (66%) supported the practice of euthanasia. The majority of the participants also believe euthanasia should only be done with the explicit consent of the patient (71.7%). It was also observed that those who had heard about euthanasia via hearsay mostly agreed that it must only be done with the explicit consent of the patient. Moreover, the study also showed that those who had heard about it from hearsay and news mostly stand for it. Conclusion Thus it has been noted that news and media all around us heavily influence peoples’ opinions. It is concluded that these opinions have changed from the past and will likely do so depending on the environment and media around the topic.