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Assisted suicide: opinions of Alberta physicians
1Office of Medical Bioethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta.
Summary
Most Alberta physicians do not support decriminalizing assisted suicide, with 55% believing it should remain criminal. Opinions on physician-assisted dying varied significantly with age and religious activity.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Physician Opinions
- Legal Status of Assisted Dying
Background:
- Physician-assisted dying, including assisted suicide and active euthanasia, is a topic of increasing debate.
- Comprehensive data on Canadian physicians' opinions regarding these practices are lacking.
- Alberta physicians' views on assisted suicide and active euthanasia are explored in this study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To survey Alberta physicians' opinions on assisted suicide.
- To compare these opinions with those on active euthanasia.
- To identify relationships between opinions and demographic/bioethical factors.
Main Methods:
- A stratified random sample of 2,002 Alberta physicians was surveyed.
- A response rate of 69% (1,391 physicians) was achieved.
- Data were analyzed for relationships with demographic and bioethical variables.
Main Results:
- 55% of physicians believed assisted suicide should remain a criminal offense; 18% disagreed, and 27% were uncertain.
- Significant correlations were found between opinions on assisted suicide and physician age and religious activity.
- No widespread support for decriminalizing assisted suicide among Alberta physicians was observed.
Conclusions:
- Alberta physicians show no strong support for decriminalizing assisted suicide.
- The findings highlight the need for a national study on Canadian physicians' views on physician-assisted dying.
- Caution is advised regarding hasty legislative or health policy changes related to assisted dying.