Determinantes na opinião sobre eutanásia em amostra de médicos portugueses

Miguel Ricou; Luis Azevedo; Sofia da Silva

doi:10.14422/rib.i10.y2019.008

Authors

Miguel Ricou Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8190-9587
Luis Azevedo Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto
Sofia da Silva Universidad do Porto

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14422/rib.i10.y2019.008

Keywords:

euthanasia, physicians, pain

Abstract

Objectives: This study seeks to establish potential determinants in the opinion of Portuguese physicians on euthanasia, and to verify if a confrontation with concrete scenarios has an effect on this opinion.

Methods: a questionnaire was distributed to physicians of various specializations with greater links to the potential practice of euthanasia. We researched the degree of agreement regarding the applicability of euthanasia to concrete situations.

Results: Of a total of 251 surveyed physicians, 58.2% favored the legalization of euthanasia in Portugal. In most scenarios that included the concept of voluntary euthanasia, agreement with the applicability of euthanasia was around 55%. In scenarios where the concept of non-voluntary euthanasia was explicit, more than 60% of physicians disagreed with its application.

Conclusion: It seems clear that the most relevant factor influencing the physicians’ agreement with the applicability of euthanasia is respect for the patient’s autonomy, and the existence of suffering.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Arreigoso, V. L. (2016). Maioria dos portugueses defende legalização da eutanásia. Expresso. Retrieved from http://expresso.sapo.pt/dossies/diario/2016-03-11-Maioria-dos-portugueses-defende-legalizacao-da-eutanasia

Bamgbose, O. (2004). Euthanasia: another face of murder. Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol, 48(1), 111-121. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0306624X03256662

Conselho Nacional Executivo da Ordem dos Médicos portuguesa. (2016). Estatísticas por especialidade. Retrieved from https://www.ordemdosmedicos.pt/?lop=conteudo&op=da4fb5c6e93e74d3df8527599fa6 2642&id=cf040fc71060367913e81ac1eb050aea

Dany, L., Baumstarck, K., Dudoit, E., Duffaud, F., Auquier, P., & Salas, S. (2015). Determinants of favourable opinions about euthanasia in a sample of French physicians. BMC Palliat Care, 14, 59. DOI: https://doi. org/10.1186/s12904-015-0055-6

Felix, Z. C., da Costa, S. F., Alves, A. M., de Andrade, C. G., Duarte, M. C., & de Brito, F. M. (2013). [Euthanasia, dysthanasia and orthothanasia: an integrative review of the literature]. Cien Saude Colet, 18(9), 2733- 2746.

Fishbain, D. A., Lewis, J. E., & Gao, J. (2015). The pain-suffering association, a review. Pain Med, 16(6), 1057- 1072. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pme.12686

Goncalves, J. A. (2010). Attitudes toward end-of-life situations other than euthanasia and assisted suicide among Portuguese oncologists. Support Care Cancer, 18(10), 1271-1277. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/ s00520-009-0743-y

Have, H. t. (2009). Eutanásia: objecções morais. In Fundação Luso Americana para o Desenvolvimento (Ed.), A Condição Humana 1th ed. (pp. 319-333). Publicações Dom Quixote.

Koneke, V. (2014). Trust increases euthanasia acceptance: a multilevel analysis using the European Values Study. BMC Med Ethics, 15, 86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6939-15-86

Lee, W., Price, A., Rayner, L., & Hotopf, M. (2009). Survey of doctors’ opinions of the legalisation of physician assisted suicide. BMC Medical Ethics, 10(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6939-10-2

Math, S. B., & Chaturvedi, S. K. (2012). Euthanasia: right to life vs right to die. Indian J Med Res, 136(6), 899-902.

Menon, S. (2013). Euthanasia: a matter of life or death? Singapore Med J, 54(3), 116-128.

Mullet, E., Neto, F., Pinto, C., Raich, R. M., Sastre, M. T., & Sorum, P. C. (2014). The acceptability of ending a patient’s life: a France-Portugal-Spain comparison. Death Stud, 38(1-5), 28-35. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1 080/07481187.2012.712607

Onwuteaka-Philipsen, B. D., Fisher, S., Cartwright, C., Deliens, L., Miccinesi, G., Norup, M., . . . van der Wal, G. (2006). End-of-life decision making in Europe and Australia: a physician survey. Arch Intern Med, 166(8), 921-929. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.166.8.921

Parker, M. (2013). Defending the indefensible? Psychiatry, assisted suicide and human freedom. Int J Law Psychiatry, 36(5-6), 485-497. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2013.06.007

Parker, M. H. (2004). Judging capacity: paternalism and the risk-related standard. Journal of law and medicine 11(4), 482-491.

Parker, M. H., Cartwright, C. M., & Williams, G. M. (2008). Impact of specialty on attitudes of Australian medical practitioners to end-of-life decisions. Med J Aust, 188(8), 450-456.

Pasterfield, D., Wilkinson, C., Finlay, I. G., Neal, R. D., & Hulbert, N. J. (2006). GPs’ views on changing the law on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, and willingness to prescribe or inject lethal drugs: a survey from Wales. Br J Gen Pract, 56(527), 450-452.

Ricou, M. (2005). The Urgency of an Ethics Code of Conduct for Portuguese Psychologists. International Psychology Reporter, 9(2), 19-22.

Serrão, D. (2001). Eutanásia Suicídio Assistido. In P. Editora (Ed.), Novos Desafios à Bioética (pp. 249-255).

Steck, N., Egger, M., Maessen, M., Reisch, T., & Zwahlen, M. (2013). Euthanasia and assisted suicide in selected European countries and US states: systematic literature review. Med Care, 51(10), 938-944. DOI: https:// doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0b013e3182a0f427

Stempsey, W. E. (2010). The role of religion in the debate about physician-assisted dying. Med Health Care Philos, 13(4), 383-387. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-010-9267-y

Vieira, I. F. L., & Rodrigues, R. I. G. (2007). Humanização da Saúde (G. d. C. 2.ª Ed.).

Vincent, J. L. (1990). European attitudes towards ethical problems in intensive care medicine: results of an ethical questionnaire. Intensive Care Med, 16(4), 256-264.