[Public perceptions of hospital autopsies: results of a representative survey]

The number of hospital autopsies has been declining for many years-in Germany as well as in other western countries. One possible reason for this could be the public's negative view of autopsies.

Therefore, a representative survey was conducted to study the attitudes of the German population on postmortem examinations.

In total, 84% of respondents generally accept hospital autopsies, while only 10% are in principle opposed to this practice. Many respondents (72%) would agree to the autopsy of their own dead body and 65% to the autopsy of relatives. Altogether, 9% of respondents had already been in a situation where a relative had died in a hospital and they were asked for permission to perform an autopsy. Of these 90, 56% agreed to and 44% refused autopsy.

The data suggest that the attitudes of the public are surprisingly positive and do not explain declining autopsy rates. Medical and institutional reasons must be considered instead as the possible cause of declining autopsy rates.