1
|
Küppers R, Meier S, Batzler YN, Schallenburger M, Wetzchewald D, Dreyer S, Schwartz J, Neukirchen M. [Perspectives of a sample of mostly younger doctors on physician-assisted suicide]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2024; 67:233-241. [PMID: 38253871 PMCID: PMC10834612 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-024-03833-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND On 26 February 2020, the German Federal Constitutional Court revoked a law (§ 217 StGB) that had banned assisted suicide intended to be repeated on a regularly basis. Since then, a possible new legal regulation has been discussed. This study examined the knowledge, experiences, and attitudes of younger physicians towards physician-assisted suicide (PAS). METHODS A quantitative survey of postgraduate courses in emergency medicine, critical care medicine, and hematology was conducted from November 2022 to March 2023. Possible factors influencing attitudes towards PAS were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 1163 records (response rate 82.1%) were analyzed. Of the participants, 90.8% had experience with dying patients, 62.3% supported PAS only in palliative scenarios, 20.1% supported PAS regardless of the health status, 33.1% have been asked for PAS, and 3.3% had participated in PAS. In addition, 71.0% did not know the content of the Federal Constitutional Court's decision on § 217, 72.0% were not informed about the legislative proposals for the new regulation of PAS, and 66.4% saw doctors as the right person to decide whether a suicidal wish is permissible. CONCLUSION Younger doctors differentiate in their attitude towards PAS between people without illnesses and those in palliative treatment situations. Further investigations into the causes of the frequent ignorance of the normative foundations are necessary. The results suggest that more educational work needs to be done about suicide alternatives and palliative care options.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Remo Küppers
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
| | - Stefan Meier
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Deutschland.
| | - Yann-Nicolas Batzler
- Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Palliativmedizin, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
- Centrum für Integrierte Onkologie Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Düsseldorf, Deutschland
| | - Manuela Schallenburger
- Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Palliativmedizin, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
- Centrum für Integrierte Onkologie Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Düsseldorf, Deutschland
| | - Dietmar Wetzchewald
- Institut für Notfallmedizin, Universität Witten/Herdecke, Arnsberg, Deutschland
| | - Sven Dreyer
- Klinik für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
| | - Jaqueline Schwartz
- Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Palliativmedizin, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
- Centrum für Integrierte Onkologie Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Düsseldorf, Deutschland
| | - Martin Neukirchen
- Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
- Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Palliativmedizin, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Deutschland
- Centrum für Integrierte Onkologie Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf (CIO ABCD), Düsseldorf, Deutschland
| |
Collapse
|