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Publication
Attitudes of Flemish secondary school students towards end-of-life decisions in minors.
Journal Contribution - Journal Article Conference Contribution
Aim of the study
In Belgium, inequalities exist in minors' and adults' rights to end-of-life decision-making. The study aimed to investigate the attitudes of secondary school students towards acceptability of a request by minors of end-of-life decisions with a possible or certain life-shortening effect (ELDs): non-treatment decisions (NTD), potentially life-shortening alleviation of pain and symptoms (APS) and euthanasia.
Methods
Second and fourth-grade students, aged 12 to 16, of 20 Flemish secondary schools, were randomly selected. They completed a questionnaire, assessing their attitudes towards acceptability of requests for ELDs in 6 cases involving minor patients. All six cases included an explicit request for an ELD by a 14 year old patient suffering from chronic disease. Type of suffering (pain, loss of dignity or deterioration of capacities), prognosis (terminal - not terminal) and nature of painfulness (reversible - irreversible) varied between cases. In a sixth case, participants were asked about right and willingness to get informed about terminal prognosis.
Main results
1769 secondary school students participated (53% female). Acceptance was highest for NTD-request, varying from 60% (not terminal, reversible pain) to 69% (terminal, irreversible pain). APS-request was acceptable for 49% (not terminal, irreversible pain) to 59% (terminal, irreversible pain) of participants. Acceptance of euthanasia requests varied from 17% (not terminal, irreversible pain) to 37% (not terminal, reversible pain) to 60% (terminal, irreversible pain). Acceptance of ELD-request was lowest when type of suffering concerned deterioration of capacities (32%). 78% of participants would like to be informed about terminal prognosis, while 90% think a minor patient has the right to know the prognosis.
Conclusions
Secondary school students find NTD and APS-requests by minors more acceptable than euthanasia. Acceptability of ELD-requests varies with case characteristics, with greater support in terminal situations with irreversible pain.
In Belgium, inequalities exist in minors' and adults' rights to end-of-life decision-making. The study aimed to investigate the attitudes of secondary school students towards acceptability of a request by minors of end-of-life decisions with a possible or certain life-shortening effect (ELDs): non-treatment decisions (NTD), potentially life-shortening alleviation of pain and symptoms (APS) and euthanasia.
Methods
Second and fourth-grade students, aged 12 to 16, of 20 Flemish secondary schools, were randomly selected. They completed a questionnaire, assessing their attitudes towards acceptability of requests for ELDs in 6 cases involving minor patients. All six cases included an explicit request for an ELD by a 14 year old patient suffering from chronic disease. Type of suffering (pain, loss of dignity or deterioration of capacities), prognosis (terminal - not terminal) and nature of painfulness (reversible - irreversible) varied between cases. In a sixth case, participants were asked about right and willingness to get informed about terminal prognosis.
Main results
1769 secondary school students participated (53% female). Acceptance was highest for NTD-request, varying from 60% (not terminal, reversible pain) to 69% (terminal, irreversible pain). APS-request was acceptable for 49% (not terminal, irreversible pain) to 59% (terminal, irreversible pain) of participants. Acceptance of euthanasia requests varied from 17% (not terminal, irreversible pain) to 37% (not terminal, reversible pain) to 60% (terminal, irreversible pain). Acceptance of ELD-request was lowest when type of suffering concerned deterioration of capacities (32%). 78% of participants would like to be informed about terminal prognosis, while 90% think a minor patient has the right to know the prognosis.
Conclusions
Secondary school students find NTD and APS-requests by minors more acceptable than euthanasia. Acceptability of ELD-requests varies with case characteristics, with greater support in terminal situations with irreversible pain.
Journal: Palliat Med
ISSN: 0269-2163
Issue: 4s
Volume: 22
Pages: 421-421
Publication year:2008
Keywords:attitudes, secondary school, end-of-life