Community Attitudes Towards Voluntary Assisted Dying: Beyond Endorsed Eligibilities

Voluntary assisted dying (VAD) has been established across seven of Australia's eight states and territories, yet empirical research on public attitudes remains limited. The current study examined Australians' attitudes towards VAD. A cross-sectional online survey assessed affective, behavioural, and cognitive components, as well as overall attitudes, with 704 Australian adults. Attitudes were broadly supportive of VAD but conditional. Most participants endorsed end-of-life choices, legalisation of VAD, and access to VAD in cases of physical illness, and opposed availability for those with mental illness, and existential suffering. Participants with religious affiliations held significantly less favourable attitudes. Females and those with experience of euthanasia or VAD had significantly more favourable attitudes towards VAD. Education effects were small and mixed, and age was unrelated to overall attitudes. Findings provide the first large-scale, multidimensional assessment of Australians' public attitudes towards VAD and may be used to inform legislative policy and guide healthcare practices.