Using Latent Profile Analysis to Understand Health Practitioners' Attitudes Toward Voluntary Assisted Dying

Area of Science:

• Medical Sociology
• Healthcare Ethics
• Psychology

Background:

• Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation is increasingly adopted globally.
• Health practitioners exhibit varied stances on VAD, impacting patient care and professional well-being.
• Understanding the drivers of these diverse attitudes is crucial for healthcare policy and support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct profiles of health practitioners' attitudes towards VAD based on personal support, normative influence, and empathy.
• To investigate the relationship between these attitude profiles and mental health outcomes, including burnout and posttraumatic stress.
• To explore the role of normative environments in shaping health practitioners' VAD perspectives.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 104 Australian health practitioners after VAD legalization in Victoria.
• Analysis of attitudes based on personal support, normative support from peers, and empathy levels.
• Assessment of mental health outcomes such as burnout and posttraumatic stress.

Main Results:

• Three distinct attitude profiles emerged: strong VAD supporters, moderate VAD supporters, and apprehensive practitioners.
• No significant differences in mental health outcomes (burnout, PTSD) were found across the identified attitude profiles.
• Normative environments appear to be a significant factor influencing practitioners' diverse attitudes toward VAD.

Conclusions:

• Health practitioners' attitudes towards VAD are shaped by a combination of personal conviction and perceived peer consensus.
• Despite differing attitudes, mental health impacts related to VAD were consistent across practitioner groups.
• The social and professional context, or normative environment, plays a key role in shaping individual health practitioner's views on VAD.