The effect of Depression in Medical Students and Residents on Their View Point about Euthanasia

Abstract

An increase in the incidence of chronic and incurable diseases and the lack of facilities to care for patients raises the issue of prioritization in the allocation of facilities and the selection of patients to use the facilities and the choice between life and death. Discussion of termination of life and cessation of treatment is one of the challenges in the field of medicine and ethics. The demand for euthanasia has increased in recent years, and future physicians will face this issue. This cross-sectional study was performed on 200 interns and medical residents in 1400. All participants completed the Demographic Information Questionnaire, Beck Depression Questionnaire, and Attitude to Euthanasia Questionnaire. In the present study, 67.5% of participants agreed with euthanasia. The mean score of attitudes to euthanasia was higher in men than women (P = 0.023) and higher in single people (P = 0.045). As religious beliefs increased in individuals, the mean score of attitudes toward euthanasia decreased and opposition to it increased (P> 0.001). Positive attitudes toward euthanasia were associated with depression and its severity (P> 0.001). Depression and its severity are significantly associated with more physicians' desire for euthanasia. On the other hand, the stronger the religious beliefs, the greater the anti-euthanasia. Support for euthanasia in men and single people was also higher than in other groups.