Healthcare professionals attitudes towards euthanasia in the Balearic Islands

BackgroundEuthanasia is a topic of ethical, legal, and medical debate, particularly among healthcare professionals, who play a key role in its implementation. Their attitudes toward euthanasia are essential for shaping healthcare policies and training programs, as these professionals must navigate c...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Lerma García, Daniel, Muñoz Camargo, Juan Carlos, Cervantes Torres, Laura, Martínez Rodríguez, Sandra, Onieva Zafra, María Dolores
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha
Repositorio:RUIdeRA. Repositorio Institucional de la UCLM
OAI Identifier:oai:ruidera.uclm.es:10578/47020
Acceso en línea:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-025-01262-w
https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC12275305
https://hdl.handle.net/10578/47020
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Attitude
Euthanasia
Health care professionals
Nurse
Descripción
Sumario:BackgroundEuthanasia is a topic of ethical, legal, and medical debate, particularly among healthcare professionals, who play a key role in its implementation. Their attitudes toward euthanasia are essential for shaping healthcare policies and training programs, as these professionals must navigate complex moral and practical considerations in their daily practice. Understanding these perspectives is key to ensuring appropriate policy development and providing effective education for healthcare providers.ObjectiveThis study aims to analyze the sociodemographic factors influencing attitudes toward euthanasia among healthcare professionals in the Balearic Islands and examine the correlation between two scales measuring these attitudes.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 746 healthcare professionals from the Balearic Health Service. Participants completed a validated questionnaire assessing their attitudes toward euthanasia with the Euthanasia Attitude Scale and the Attitude Toward Euthanasia, along with a socio-demographic questionnaire.ResultsThe findings reveal that attitudes toward euthanasia are significantly influenced by variables such as age, gender, religious beliefs, and professional experience. Younger professionals, males, and those with fewer religious convictions tend to express more favorable attitudes toward euthanasia. Differences were also observed across professional categories, with nurses generally showing greater acceptance compared to physicians and other healthcare workers