Attitude towards Euthanasia among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Hong Kong

Abstract

Background: With an increasing aging population and heavy medical burden, euthanasia has become a controversial topic in Hong Kong (HK) in recent years. Medical students are future medical professionals who may face novel and evolving ethical dilemmas. Hence, their views on euthanasia are crucial. Objective: To examine the attitudes of medical students towards euthanasia in HK and identify the factors associated with their attitude towards euthanasia. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study among medical students in HK was conducted. The online anonymous questionnaires were distributed to all six years of students studying medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the University of Hong Kong (HKU), who provide medical training in HK. Attitude towards Euthanasia (ATE), measured using a five-point Likert Scale, was used to assess medical students’ attitudes towards euthanasia. Results: overall, 228 valid responses were received in 2021. The mean score of ATE was 29 (SD10.9), in which 134 (58.8%) of respondents showed a negative attitude towards euthanasia. Negative association was found between Christian (p-value = 0.003) and Catholic (p-value = 0.032) and the ATE score. Meanwhile, positive association was found between male gender (p-value = 0.011) and witnessed withdrawing of nutritional support from patient(s) (p-value = 0.011) and the ATE score. Conclusions: It is necessary for the government and schools to place more emphasis on euthanasia in the school curriculum by integrating ethical discussions and clinical attachment.

Attitude of undergraduate medical students towards euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide: a cross-sectional study

“…Gender is also identified as a variable that affects attitude towards euthanasia. Male students showed positive response as compared to females; it is similar to a study conducted by Lau AM in Hong Kong 6 and another study by JC Penman 10 Possibly, gender can have a role in managing emotions, maintaining self-integrity, and helping patients while making decisions.…”

“…In this study, 66% of students opposed euthanasia, which is consistent with results obtained in studies conducted at other medical universities in Pakistan. 5 This trend was also seen in a study conducted in Hong Kong, 6 although a contrast was seen in India 7 where acceptance of euthanasia was 61%.…”

Psychological Factors Influencing Attitudes towards Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide and Palliative Care among Medical Students and Doctors in Training

“…The results regarding the students' attitudes toward assisted suicide were divergent. In some studies, more students supported the legalisation of assisted suicide than that of euthanasia [16,34], and there are other studies in which less students supported assisted suicide than euthanasia [15,18]. In some countries, an indirect way of introducing euthanasia is a decriminalisation of assisted suicide [35].…”

“…The results of studies regarding medical students' attitudes toward euthanasia and assisted suicide suggest significant discrepancies, e.g., euthanasia and assisted suicide have proponents amounting to 24-97.4% and 13-69%, respectively [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. There is more support for euthanasia in countries where it is legal, e.g., in Belgium 97.4% [17] and in Canada 88% [18], compared to countries where it is forbidden, e.g., in China 41.2% [15] and Germany 19.2% [16]. Factors that significantly impact negative attitudes toward euthanasia and assisted suicide comprise religion [11,19], a higher year of study [20,21], a lack of law acceptance and a concern for abuse [22].…”

HEXACO personality traits, spiritual intelligence, and views on euthanasia among medical students: a moderation analysis

“…2 Research has shown that nearly half of medical students hold a positive attitude toward euthanasia, with over a quarter supporting its legalization, even though it is strictly prohibited in many countries around the world. 3,4 This diversity in opinions reflects the need for a deeper understanding of medical students' attitudes toward euthanasia. Certainly, understanding the factors Article that shape individuals' attitudes toward euthanasia will be crucial for medical professionals, as it can influence their decision-making process and patient care.…”