Attitudes toward physician-assisted suicide: Effects of physician background, patient prognosis and patient mental health status

The purpose of this study was to investigate views toward physician-assiste d suicide (PAS) as patient illness (terminal, not terminal), patient mental health (depressed, not depressed) and physician background (preoccupied, n ot preoccupied with death) are varied. Participants (N=211) read a newspape r article and trial summary involving a PAS then gave their impressions of the patient, physician and PAS. Patient mental health did not affect decisi ons, but the preoccupied physician's testimony was seen as less believable (intent was seen as patient death, not an end of pain and suffering), and h e was more likely to be seen as guilty than the non-preoccupied physician ( reflected by both verdict and guilt level ratings). The terminal patient wa s seen as suffering more, wanting suicide more, and making a more rational decision to die than the non-terminal patient. Results are discussed in lig ht of recent legal activity involving PAS.