How Hawaii's doctors feel about physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia: an overview

We polled, by questionnaire, all doctors and medical trainees in Hawaii (n = 3,017) to determine their attitudes towards physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia and other end-of-life medical issues. One thousand and twenty-eight (34.1%) responded. Medical trainees did not differ significantly from practicing physicians. Only a minority of respondents (15.6%) were willing to assist a terminally-ill patient to commit suicide. An even smaller number (9.8) would perform active euthanasia. On the other hand, an overwhelming majority would withhold (97.6%) or withdraw (78.6%) life-support upon request. Most doctors (88.0%) were also willing to administer high doses of narcotics for pain relief, even if such therapy hastened death. About half the doctors felt that physician-assisted suicide and active euthanasia may be justified under some circumstances, although most were unwilling to personally carry out these acts. Catholic, Filipino and Hawaiian/Polynesian doctors were statistically less likely to approve of or perform physician-assisted suicide or active euthanasia.