Perceptions and attitudes of medical students and doctors on Euthanasia [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Background The concept of euthanasia has recently come into the spotlight, and cases such as those of Aruna Shanbaug have heavily influenced people’s opinions on the topic. Whether euthanasia is performed with the intention of ending suffering that otherwise cannot be helped should truly be supported. The thoughts on this topic- especially of those who work closely with patients who suffer from terminal illnesses- healthcare providers must be analyzed. Their perception and views on legalizing the procedure and their hesitancy or lack thereof to perform such a procedure would give the rest of the world a clearer picture- a better standpoint to understand what to do. This study attempted to quantify and analyze the views of doctors and medical students regarding euthanasia. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 212 doctors and medical students at a private medical college in South India was conducted to determine their attitudes toward euthanasia. Results Most participants (66%) supported the practice of euthanasia. The majority of participants also believed that euthanasia should only be performed with the explicit consent of the patient (71.7%). It was also observed that those who had heard about euthanasia via hearsay mostly agreed that it must only be performed with the explicit consent of the patient. Moreover, the study showed that those who had heard about it from hearsay and news mostly stood for it. Conclusion It has been noted that news and media all around us heavily influence people’s opinions. It is concluded that these opinions have changed from the past, and will likely do so depending on the environment and media around the topic.