ArticleBMC medical ethics2017
Attitudes towards assisted suicide and euthanasia among care-dependent older adults (50+) in Austria: the role of socio-demographics, religiosity, physical illness, psychological distress, and social isolation.
Article in BMC medical ethics, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The association between social connectedness and euthanasia and assisted suicide and related constructs: systematic review.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- Evaluating Experiences With the Newly Enacted Law on Assisted Suicide in Austria: Protocol for an Interdisciplinary Mixed Methods Study.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Institutional challenges in responding to Austria's Dying Decree Law: An evaluation from the perspectives of nursing and medical directors.Palliative care and social practice · 2026Article
- Predictors of Support for Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide (EPAS) Among Older Adults in Israel.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2025Article
- Evaluating physicians' knowledge of assisted suicide and palliative sedation therapy in Austria : An exploratory survey study.Wiener klinische Wochenschrift · 2025Article
- Policies on dying: Assisted suicide in Germany.SSM - population health · 2025Article
- Media portrayals of assisted suicide before, during, and after legalization changes: content analysis of the reporting in Austrian newspapers.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Article
- Maybe for unbearable suffering: Diverse racial, ethnic and cultural perspectives of assisted dying. A scoping review.Palliative medicine · 2024Article
- Reasons for Wanting Assisted Suicide.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2023Article
- Analysis of Factors Influencing Polish Students' Opinions on Euthanasia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Trends and Patterns in the Public Awareness of Palliative Care, Euthanasia, and End-of-Life Decisions in 3 Central European Countries Using Big Data Analysis From Google: Retrospective Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Article
- Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCare-dependency constitutes an important issue with regard to the approval of end-of-life decisions, yet attitudes towards assisted suicide and euthanasia are understudied among care-dependent older adults. We assessed attitudes towards assisted suicide and euthanasia and tested empirical correlates, including socio-demographics, religiosity, physical illness, psychological distress and social isolation.
methodsA nationwide cross-sectional survey among older care allowance recipients (50+) in private households in Austria was conducted in 2016. In computer-assisted personal interviews, 493 respondents were asked whether or not they approved of the availability of assisted suicide and euthanasia in case of long-term care dependency and whether or not they would consider using assisted suicide or euthanasia for themselves. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the impact of potential determinants of attitudes towards assisted suicide and euthanasia.
resultsAbout a quarter (24.8-26.0%) of the sampled care-dependent older adults approved of the availability of assisted suicide and euthanasia respectively indicated the will to (hypothetically) make use of assisted suicide or euthanasia. Attitudes towards assisted suicide were most favourable among care-dependent older adults living in urban areas, those who did not trust physicians, those who reported active suicide ideation, and individuals with a strong fear of dying. With regard to euthanasia, living alone, religiosity and fear of dying were the central determinants of acceptance.
conclusionsPositive attitudes towards and will to (hypothetically) use assisted suicide and euthanasia were expressed by a substantial minority of care-dependent older adults in Austria and are driven by current psychological suffering and fear of the process of dying in the (near) future. Community-based psychosocial care should be expanded to address psychological distress and fears about end-of-life issues among care-dependent older adults.
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