Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26542685›Full record

ArticleBMC palliative care2015

Determinants of favourable opinions about euthanasia in a sample of French physicians.

Lionel Dany, Karine Baumstarck, Eric Dudoit, Florence Duffaud, Pascal Auquier, Sébastien Salas

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC palliative care, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Lionel DanyAPHM, Timone, Service d'Oncologie Médicale, 13385, Marseille, France. lionel.dany@univ-amu.fr.
Karine BaumstarckUnité d'Aide Méthodologique à la Recherche Clinique et Epidémiologique, AP-HM, Marseille, France. karine.baumstarck@univ-amu.fr.
Eric DudoitAPHM, Timone, Service d'Oncologie Médicale, 13385, Marseille, France. eric.dudoit@ap-hm.fr.
Florence DuffaudAPHM, Timone, Service d'Oncologie Médicale, 13385, Marseille, France. florence.duffaud@ap-hm.fr.
Pascal AuquierUnité d'Aide Méthodologique à la Recherche Clinique et Epidémiologique, AP-HM, Marseille, France. pascal.auquier@univ-amu.fr.
Sébastien SalasAPHM, Timone, Service d'Oncologie Médicale, 13385, Marseille, France. Sebastien.SALAS@ap-hm.fr.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe question whether euthanasia should be legalised has led to substantial public debate in France. The objective of this study in a sample of French physicians was to establish the potential determinants of a favourable opinion about euthanasia in general and when faced with a specific situation as embodied in the Humbert affair.

methodsThe study was a cross-sectional survey investigating two different samples of medical doctors: (1) those specialised in palliative care and affiliated to the French Society for Patient Accompaniment and Palliative Care; (2) medical interns (medical doctors in training course) in a French medical university (Marseille). A questionnaire was sent (email) to each voluntary participant including sociodemographics, professional status, mention of believing in God, and opinion about euthanasia (the question was designed to assess the general opinion about euthanasia and the opinion about a specific case, the Vincent Humbert' case (a man who was rendered quadriplegic, blind, and mute after an accident and has requested euthanasia).

resultsA total of 413 physicians participated in the research (participation rate: 48.5%). Less than half of the population were favourable to euthanasia in general and almost two-thirds of the population were favourable to Vincent Humbert's request for euthanasia. Based on the multivariate analysis, individuals believing in God and being a medical intern were significant independent factors linked to having a favourable opinion about euthanasia in general and about the Vincent Humbert's request. DISCUSSION: There is still no study in France on the development of opinion about euthanasia and its impact. The issue goes beyond the strictly professional sphere and involves broader socio-political stakes. These stakes do not necessarily take into account medical practices and experiences or the desires of end-of-life patients. The professional upheaval that the future French legal framework will doubtlessly trigger will require further research.

conclusionThe professional upheaval that the future French legal framework will doubtlessly trigger will require further research.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelAdultCross-Sectional StudiesEuthanasiaFemaleFranceHumansMaleMiddle AgedPhysiciansSpiritualitySurveys and Questionnaires

Identifiers

PMID26542685
PMCPMC4635994

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.