End-of-Life Care Research Group Ghent University & Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, Belgium.
Health Policy. 2012 Mar;104(3):272-8. doi: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2011.12.001. Epub 2012 Jan 5.
To study the implementation of LEIF, the consultation service which provides access to specially trained physicians to act as the legally required second physician in requests for euthanasia in Flanders and Brussels, Belgium, the use of which has been to shown to be beneficial to the careful practice of euthanasia.
A representative sample of 3006 Belgian physicians from the area where LEIF is active received a questionnaire investigating their attitude and practice regarding euthanasia, asking about their knowledge of LEIF, their attitude towards the service, their use of the service and their intentions regarding its future use.
Seventy-eight per cent of physicians knew about the existence of the organization, 90% felt supported by the idea of being able to consult a LEIF physician and 90% intended to use LEIF in the future. Only 35% of those who had received a euthanasia request since LEIF became active had made use of LEIF. Awareness, use and intended use of LEIF were lower among specific groups of physicians (e.g. specialists). Positive attitudes towards consultation and training were positively associated with future use of LEIF.
Implementation can be considered successful but LEIF should continue promoting its services as widely as possible, with specific attention paid to specialists.
研究 LEIF 的实施情况，该咨询服务为有需求的患者提供专门培训过的医生，以充当安乐死请求中法定要求的第二医师，其使用已被证明有助于安乐死的审慎实践。
从 LEIF 活跃的地区抽取了 3006 名比利时医生的代表性样本，他们收到了一份调查问卷，调查他们对安乐死的态度和实践，询问他们对 LEIF 的了解、对该服务的态度、使用该服务的情况以及对其未来使用的意图。
78%的医生知道该组织的存在，90%的医生认为能够咨询 LEIF 医生的想法是有支持的，90%的医生打算在未来使用 LEIF。只有 35%的自 LEIF 活跃以来收到安乐死请求的医生使用过 LEIF。LEIF 的知晓率、使用率和未来使用率在特定医生群体（如专科医生）中较低。对咨询和培训的积极态度与未来使用 LEIF 呈正相关。
可以认为实施是成功的，但 LEIF 应继续尽可能广泛地宣传其服务，特别关注专科医生。
