Portuguese medical students’ perceptions and willingness to perform euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: results from a mixed-methods study

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Abstract

Background: Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (EPAS) have become a highly present and controversial subject of ethical, political and societal debates in Portugal. Few of these discussions are based on empirical research and evidence concerning end-of-life decisions. While medical students will face ethical issues throughout their lives as physicians, very little is known about their perceptions and willingness to perform EPAS. Aims: To study medical students’ perceptions and willingness to perform EPAS. Methods: A mixed methods study was conducted with Portuguese medical students, including a nationwide cross-sectional survey among the medical students who attended a national assembly of the National Medical Students Association (ANEM) in 2016, and two focus groups with representatives from the Office on Human Rights and Peace of the ANEM. Results: 84 students (100% response rate) completed the survey and 23 participated in the focus groups. In case of a terminal illness, 38.6% of the respondents expressed their willingness to perform euthanasia, 36.1% assisted suicide, and 44.6% and 39.8% responded “I don’t know”, respectively. These percentages dropped down to 19.3% both in terms of their willingness to perform euthanasia and physician assisted suicide in case of a non-terminal illness. In this case, 42.2% and 32.5% of the respondents answered “I don’t know”, respectively. 95.2% of participants did not have any education about palliative care before completing the survey. During the focus groups, discussions were raised among the participants about whether or not EPAS should be considered part of end-of-life care practices. The majority considered it as a no and highlighted the tension between the legalization and practice of EPAS and their ethical and deontological code as physicians. Conclusions: This is the first Portuguese study to ask medical students about their willingness to take action as regards to euthanasia and physician assisted suicide without biased phrasing. Our findings show a pro- found problem and major concern in the actual discussion about EPAS in Portugal. The willingness to perform EAPS is high. If allowed, who would perform it? It seems that young medical students, still with neither clinical experience nor education about palliative care, are those willing to perform EPAS. Education about palliative care and research about end- of-life decisions and practices are needed before the legalization of EPAS in this country.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)184-184
Number of pages1
JournalPalliative Medicine
Volume32
Issue number1, supp.
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2018
Event10th World Research Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care - , Switzerland
Duration: 24 May 201826 May 2018

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