The Opinions of GP's Patients About Suicide, Assisted Suicide, Euthanasia, and Suicide Prevention: An Italian Survey

Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2015 Aug;45(4):391-8. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12138. Epub 2014 Nov 8.

Abstract

A survey about opinions on end-of-life issues of a population represented by 1,171 people in the waiting room of general practitioners' surgeries was conducted in a province of northern Italy. Most subjects did not consider suicide as a reasonable option even in cases of a serious and incurable disease. Moreover, subjects did not consider euthanasia as a possible option either; however, they did express an opposite attitude when considering euthanasia in a third-person perspective. People with a personal history of suicidal behavior appear to present as a different population, overall expressing more open attitudes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Attitude to Death*
  • Euthanasia / psychology*
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Suicidal Ideation
  • Suicide / psychology*
  • Suicide, Assisted / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Terminal Care* / methods
  • Terminal Care* / psychology