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Right-to-die responses from a random sample of 200
The Hospice Journal
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Most people favor personal control over death circumstances. However, framing the question as "physician-assisted suicide" significantly decreased support for legalization, highlighting the impact of terminology on public opinion regarding end-of-life choices.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Public opinion on end-of-life decisions is crucial for policy development.
- Understanding the nuances of terminology is essential when gauging attitudes toward death with dignity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess public attitudes toward the right-to-die.
- To investigate how different semantic framings influence opinions on end-of-life choices.
Main Methods:
- Conducted 200 telephone interviews with a random sample in a midwestern city in 1990.
- Utilized various terms: euthanasia, mercy killing, physician-assisted suicide, and personal control over death.
Main Results:
- 90% of respondents favored some form of personal control over death.
- Support for legalization dropped significantly when "physician-assisted suicide" was used (p < .0001).
Conclusions:
- Public support for end-of-life autonomy is high.
- The specific language used to describe end-of-life options critically impacts public perception and acceptance.