Race Differences in Attitudes toward Voluntary Euthanasia: A Pilot Study

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This is a study of race-based differentials in attitudes toward voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. Previous studies find that Blacks are much more likely than Whites to oppose legalizing euthanasia. This study will examine the extent to which cultural factors (such as religious beliefs and fears about abuses of euthanasia) and structural factors (such as education and income) account for the dramatic difference. The analysis will control for the effects of variables suggested by other theories that also may account for the race difference. It also will assess race differences in attitudes toward two different forms of voluntary euthanasia: active euthanasia (i.e., a lethal injection provided by a physician); and physician-assisted suicide (i.e., a physician-prescribed dose of lethal drugs). One focus group of Blacks and one focus group of Whites will be employed to generate and to refine survey items that will be administered to a random sample of 500 adult Ohioans, including an oversample of Blacks. Selected respondents then will participate in two post-survey focus groups, one consisting of all Blacks, the other consisting of all Whites. The qualitative data gathered from these two focus groups will be used to corroborate and to explore findings from analyses of the quantitative survey data. The survey also will serve as a way of pre-testing items for further survey research at the national level. This project will broaden our understanding of the genesis of race differences in attitudes toward moral issues that involve decisions regarding life and death by adding an assessment of the roles of culture and social structure. In addition, the project will advance sociological theory on social movements by providing insight into the relationship between public opinion and the process through which leaders of social movement organizations frame issues.