Whitney S N, Brown B W, Brody H, Alcser K H, Bachman J G, Greely H T
Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77005,USA.
J Gen Intern Med. 2001 May;16(5):290-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.04159.x.
To ascertain the views of physicians and physician leaders toward the legalization of physician-assisted suicide.
Confidential mail questionnaire.
A nationwide random sample of physicians of all ages and specialties, and all members of the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates as of April 1996.
Demographic and practice characteristics and attitude toward legalization of physician-assisted suicide.
Usable questionnaires were returned by 658 of 930 eligible physicians in the nationwide random sample (71%) and 315 of 390 eligible physicians in the House of Delegates (81%). In the nationwide random sample, 44.5% favored legalization (16.4% definitely and 28.1% probably), 33.9% opposed legalization (20.4% definitely and 13.5% probably), and 22% were unsure. Opposition to legalization was strongly associated with self-defined politically conservative beliefs, religious affiliation, and the importance of religion to the respondent (P <.001). Among members of the AMA House of Delegates, 23.5% favored legalization (7.3% definitely and 16.2% probably), 61.6% opposed legalization (43.5% definitely and 18.1% probably), and 15% were unsure; their views differed significantly from those of the nationwide random sample (P <.001). Given the choice, a majority of both groups would prefer no law at all, with physician-assisted suicide being neither legal nor illegal.
Members of the AMA House of Delegates strongly oppose physician-assisted suicide, but rank-and-file physicians show no consensus either for or against its legalization. Although the debate is sometimes adversarial, most physicians in the United States are uncertain or endorse moderate views on assisted suicide.
确定医生及医生领袖对医生协助自杀合法化的看法。
保密邮件调查问卷。
全国范围内各年龄及专业的医生随机样本，以及截至1996年4月美国医学协会（AMA）代表大会的所有成员。
人口统计学和执业特征以及对医生协助自杀合法化的态度。
在全国随机样本中，930名符合条件的医生中有658名（71%）返回了可用问卷，在代表大会中，390名符合条件的医生中有315名（81%）返回了问卷。在全国随机样本中，44.5%的人支持合法化（16.4%坚决支持，28.1%可能支持），33.9%的人反对合法化（20.4%坚决反对，13.5%可能反对），22%的人不确定。反对合法化与自我定义的政治保守信念、宗教信仰以及宗教对受访者的重要性密切相关（P<.001）。在美国医学协会代表大会成员中，23.5%的人支持合法化（7.3%坚决支持，16.2%可能支持），61.6%的人反对合法化（43.5%坚决反对，18.1%可能反对），15%的人不确定；他们的观点与全国随机样本有显著差异（P<.001）。如果有选择，两组中的大多数人都希望根本没有相关法律，医生协助自杀既不合法也不违法。
美国医学协会代表大会成员强烈反对医生协助自杀，但普通医生对于其合法化既没有达成支持的共识，也没有达成反对的共识。尽管这场辩论有时充满对抗性，但美国大多数医生对协助自杀持不确定态度或支持温和观点。
