PHYSICIANS ATTITUDES TOWARD ASSISTED SUICIDE IN AIDS

We investigated factors influencing attitudes and practices among San Francisco physicians toward physician-assisted suicide in the context of AIDS. To explore this topic a questionnaire was developed for use in comparing two physician groups. This self-administered instrument was completed by 69 physician members of the San Francisco County Community Consortium (CCC), a community-based clinical research organization whose members care for persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. A comparison group consisted of 86 randomly sampled San Francisco physicians recruited from the California Medical Association mailing list. Anonymity of respondents was maintained. Chi-squares and t-tests were conducted to compare physician groups with regard to demographics and experiences with AIDS. Factor analytic techniques and correlational analyses were used to identify attitudinal and behavioral predictors of willingness to assist in a patient suicide. Twenty-three percent of the total sample would be likely to grant the patient's initial request for assistance in committing suicide. When faced with an adamant request, CCC members would be more likely to assist than comparison group physicians. Ethical beliefs were the strongest predictor of physicians' intention to assist. Identification with the AIDS patient also had significant predictive value.