Allocating scarce medical resources to COVID-19 patients. Results of a factorial survey

Aim of the study The present study investigated scarcity decision-making by medical laypersons in the treatment of COVID-19 ("Coronavirus Disease 2019") patients. Methods In the multivariate cluster-corrected regressions, the responses to 1802 case situations of a factorial survey assessed by 181 medical laypersons were evaluated. Results Younger patients, men, those with a high chance of recovery, who have their own children and a job in a hospital were given priority by medical laypersons. Conclusion Medical laypersons consciously or unconsciously apply social criteria of decision-making when medical resources are scarce, which are inadmissible from a professional medical and ethical point of view. In order to assess acceptance in the general population, this circumstance should be taken into account.