[Attitudes to autopsy among critically ill patients and the general population]

Attitudes towards autopsy were investigated by a questionnaire given to 60 cancer patients, 30 patients with severe cardiac disease and 132 healthy people without known disease. Eighty-five percent of the patients and 82% of the healthy people had a positive attitude towards autopsy. A majority (65-72%) found that permission should be given by the patient rather than the family. Only 6% of patients and 13% of the healthy people would refuse to give permission to autopsy, 71% and 47% would give permission and 10% and 25% would consent to autopsy under certain conditions. both groups were more reluctant to give consent to the performance of an autopsy on a relative. It is concluded that hospital routine should be changed so that patients should be asked whether they would permit an autopsy to be performed in event of their decease.