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The Attitudes of Greek Physicians and Lay People on Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients

Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece

Kyriaki Mystakidou, MD, PhD

Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 27 Korinthias Street 115 26 Athens, Greece; mistakidou{at}yahoo.com

Eleni Tsilika, BSc, MSc

Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece

Pavlos Sakkas, MD, PhD

Aeginition Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Greece

Elisabeth Patiraki, PhD

Nursing Faculty, University of Athens, Greece

Kyriaki Pistevou-Gombaki, MD, PhD

Radiotherapy Department, University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Antonis Galanos, BSc

Lambros Vlahos, MD, PhD

Pain Relief and Palliative Care Unit, Department of Radiology, Areteion Hospital, School of Medicine

The purpose of this article is to explore the attitudes of lay people and physicians regarding euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in terminally ill cancer patients in Greece. The sample consisted of 141 physicians and 173 lay people. A survey questionnaire was used concerning issues such as euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, and so forth. Many physicians (42.6%) and lay people (25.4%, P = .002) reported that in the case of a cardiac and/or respiratory arrest, there would not be an effort to revive a terminally ill cancer patient. Only 8.1% of lay people and 2.1% of physicians agreed on physician-assisted suicide (P = .023). Many of the respondents, especially physicians, supported sedation but not euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. However, many of the respondents would prefer the legalization of a terminally ill patient's hastened death.

Key Words: physician-assisted suicide • euthanasia • withholding/withdrawing treatment • terminally ill cancer patient

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, Vol. 23, No. 4, 297-303 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/1049909106290247


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