Should States Allow Physician-Assisted Suicide or Euthanasia? A Survey of Hospice Personnel (S745)

Abstract

•Understand that hospice personnel and the general public have different beliefs about states allowing physician assisted suicide (PSA) and euthanasia.•Should question why there is a difference in beliefs about PSA and euthanasia between hospice personnel and the general public.•Discuss how ethnicity, gender and religious affiliations affect the belief of allowing PSA and euthanasia. Recent Gallup polls found that nearly 70% of Americans support physician assisted suicide (PSA) and euthanasia. We would expect that the majority of hospice personnel would also support PSA/euthanasia. This study explores how hospice personnel respond to questions about PSA/euthanasia and factors that may influence their decisions. •Compare opinions of hospice personnel to the general public regarding PSA/euthanasia.•Understand that ethnicity, gender and religion affect opinion on PSA/euthanasia.•Identify areas where education/clarification are needed. A 32-question survey was emailed to 2097 employees and volunteers at a nonprofit hospice. Questions included demographics and if states should allow PSA (886 respondents) and euthanasia (885 respondents). Answers were analyzed based on ethnicity, gender and religious affiliation. Of the respondents of the survey, 44% supported states allowing PSA and 36% supported states allowing euthanasia. Ethnicity, gender and religious affiliation show a variation in whether or not people believe states should allow PSA or euthanasia. Those individuals who completed an advance directive were more likely to support PSA and euthanasia. The majority of hospice employees and volunteers do not support PSA and euthanasia. This survey was from a large metropolitan nonprofit hospice in southeast Florida and polling hospices nationwide may show different results.