JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Centre for Health Systems and Policy Research, JC School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Jun 23;19(13):7697. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19137697.
With an increasing aging population and heavy medical burden, euthanasia has become a controversial topic in Hong Kong (HK) in recent years. Medical students are future medical professionals who may face novel and evolving ethical dilemmas. Hence, their views on euthanasia are crucial.
To examine the attitudes of medical students towards euthanasia in HK and identify the factors associated with their attitude towards euthanasia.
A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study among medical students in HK was conducted. The online anonymous questionnaires were distributed to all six years of students studying medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the University of Hong Kong (HKU), who provide medical training in HK. Attitude towards Euthanasia (ATE), measured using a five-point Likert Scale, was used to assess medical students' attitudes towards euthanasia.
overall, 228 valid responses were received in 2021. The mean score of ATE was 29 (SD10.9), in which 134 (58.8%) of respondents showed a negative attitude towards euthanasia. Negative association was found between Christian (-value = 0.003) and Catholic (-value = 0.032) and the ATE score. Meanwhile, positive association was found between male gender (-value = 0.011) and witnessed withdrawing of nutritional support from patient(s) (-value = 0.011) and the ATE score.
It is necessary for the government and schools to place more emphasis on euthanasia in the school curriculum by integrating ethical discussions and clinical attachment.
随着人口老龄化和医疗负担加重，安乐死在近年来成为香港的一个备受争议的话题。医学生是未来的医疗专业人员，他们可能会面临新的、不断演变的伦理困境。因此，他们对安乐死的看法至关重要。
调查香港医学生对安乐死的态度，并确定与他们对安乐死的态度相关的因素。
对香港中文大学（CUHK）和香港大学（HKU）六年来学习医学的医学生进行了一项基于问卷调查的横断面研究。向所有提供香港医学培训的学生在线匿名分发问卷。使用五点 Likert 量表评估医学生对安乐死的态度，用态度量表（ATE）来衡量。
2021 年共收到 228 份有效回复。ATE 的平均得分为 29（SD10.9），其中 134 名（58.8%）受访者对安乐死持消极态度。基督教（-value = 0.003）和天主教（-value = 0.032）与 ATE 评分呈负相关。而男性（-value = 0.011）和目睹从患者身上撤营养支持（-value = 0.011）与 ATE 评分呈正相关。
政府和学校有必要在学校课程中更加重视安乐死，纳入伦理讨论和临床实习。
