Would physician-assisted suicide jeopardize trust in the medical services? An empirical study of attitudes among the general public in Sweden
Would physician-assisted suicide jeopardize trust in the medical services? An empirical study of attitudes among the general public in Sweden
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DOI：
10.1177/1403494808098918
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发表时间：
2009-05-01
影响因子：
3.4
通讯作者：
Lynoe, Niels
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Lindblad, Anna;Lofmark, Rurik;Lynoe, Niels
目的：调查瑞典民众对医生协助自杀的态度，特别是被允许医生协助自杀对医疗服务信任的可能影响。设计：随机抽取1206名居住在斯德哥尔摩县城的居民进行问卷调查，内容涉及特定条件下医生协助自杀及其对医疗服务信任度的可能影响。发放了两份提醒，随后发放了一份简短的问卷，其中只包含了关于对医生协助自杀的态度的问题。结果：总有效率为51%，短文提醒增加7%。在所有参与者中，73%的人赞成医生协助自杀，12%的人反对，15%的人尚未决定。他们认为，如果允许医生协助自杀，他们对医疗服务的信任将增加(38%)或根本不受影响(45%)。然而，75%的反对医生协助自杀的人认为他们的信任度会下降。与对医疗服务信任度高的人(n=492)相比，信任度低的人(n=97)表示他们的信任度会增加，分别为36%(可信区间=35-37%)和49%(95%可信区间=39-59%)。33%(95%CI=28-38%)的年轻受访者(<；50岁)和43%(95%CI=37-49%)的老年受访者认为他们的信任度会增加。结论：我们没有发现证据支持这样的假设，即如果医生协助自杀合法化，对医疗服务的信任将明确受到威胁。只有在反对医生协助自杀的少数人中，大多数受访者报告他们的信任度会下降。
Aim: To investigate the attitudes among the Swedish population towards physician-assisted suicide, with special regard to the possible effects on trust in the medical services of physician-assisted suicide being allowed. Design: A postal questionnaire about physician-assisted suicide under certain conditions and its possible influence on trust in the medical services was distributed to 1206 randomly selected individuals living in the county of Stockholm. Two reminders were distributed, followed by a short version of the questionnaire containing only the question about the attitude towards physician-assisted suicide. Results: The total response rate was 51%, a short-version reminder adding another 7%. Of all participants, 73% were in favour of physician-assisted suicide, 12% were against, and 15% were undecided. They believed that their trust in the medical services would increase (38%) or not be influenced at all (45%) if physician-assisted suicide were to be allowed. However, 75% of those who were against physician-assisted suicide believed that their trust would decrease. As compared to those reporting high trust in medical services (n = 492), those with low trust (n = 97) stated that their trust would increase, 36% (confidence interval (CI) = 35-37%) vs. 49% (95% CI = 39-59%). Thirty-three per cent (95% CI = 28-38%) of the younger respondents (< 50 years), and 43% (95% CI = 37-49%) of the older respondents believed that their trust would increase. Conclusions: We found no evidence for the assumption that trust in the medical services would be unambiguously jeopardized if physician-assisted suicide were to be legalized. Only among the minority who opposed physician-assisted suicide did a majority of respondents report that their trust would decrease.