ArticleWiener klinische Wochenschrift2025
Evaluating physicians' knowledge of assisted suicide and palliative sedation therapy in Austria : An exploratory survey study.
Article in Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- 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
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundSince January 2022, assisted suicide (AS) has been legal in Austria under specific conditions, allowing medical AS for individuals with incurable, life-ending diseases or severe, enduring illnesses that significantly impact their lives. Palliative sedation therapy (PST) involves the controlled use of drugs to induce unconsciousness and alleviate otherwise untreatable suffering. This study evaluates Austrian physicians' knowledge of AS and PST, comparing the knowledge levels of palliative care (PC) and non-PC physicians.
methodsIn this explorative study, an online survey was distributed primarily to physicians in Lower Austria through the State Healthcare Agency Lower Austria (Landesgesundheitsagentur Niederösterreich, LGA) and to PC physicians across Austria via the Austrian Association for Palliative Care (Österreichische Palliativgesellschaft, OPG). Questions in this survey focused on basic knowledge of the principles of AS and PST. Participants included physicians who have expertise in PC and physicians from other medical specialties.
resultsIn this study, 223 physicians completed the survey. The PC physicians displayed significantly more specialized training, with 74.2% holding a PC diploma compared to 17.9% of non-PC physicians (p < 0.001). Regarding PST, PC physicians were more likely to follow guidelines, using midazolam (97.8% vs. 77.6%, p < 0.001), propofol (56.2% vs. 38.1%, p = 0.009), and levomepromazine (23.6% vs. 11.2%, p = 0.016). In AS, PC physicians emphasized the decision-making capacity more frequently (p = 0.006) and were better informed about the legal requirements.
conclusionOverall, Austrian physicians demonstrate insufficient knowledge of AS and PST, underlining the need for enhanced education on PC principles to ensure informed practice post-AS legalization. Nonetheless, PC physicians in Austria demonstrate superior adherence to guidelines in managing life-limiting conditions, PST and AS compared to non-PC physicians, highlighting the importance of specialized PC education.
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