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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Euthanasia in Greece
— moral and ethical dilemmas | | Author(s) | A Vidalis, Th Dardavessis, G Kaprinis |
| Journal title | Aging: Clinical and Experimental Research, vol 10, no 2, April 1998 |
| Pages | pp 93-101 |
| Keywords | Euthanasia ; Suicide ; Social ethics ; Public opinion ; Greece. |
| Annotation | Euthanasia as a concept and a practice has led to much debate in Greece, as well as in other countries. In this study, the authors examined the views of the public and of professionals on the issue of euthanasia. A self-administered questionnaire of 28 items was completed by 417 people, and provided information about attitudes towards the moral and ethical problems of euthanasia. Psychiatric speculations which arose during the approach of this issue were seen in most of the responses (88.3%). Psychodynamic unconscious processes reinforced and violated mechanisms and motives in favour of, or against euthanasia. Of the respondents, 44.3% were against extending life using mechanical devices. Putative main risk factors for suicidal ideation and the desire for death were: pain 66.2%, despair 60.2%, depression 59.7%, and psychopathology 38.6%. This study revealed that apart from pain, psychosocial factors play a key role in leading people to request euthanasia. On the other hand, the knowledge of the public and professionals regarding this issue is not sufficient, and thus discussion of euthanasia by medical societies is needed and necessary. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-981215211 A |
| Classmark | CY: EV: TQ: U5: 76X |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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