Approval of Euthanasia: Differences Between Cohorts and Religion

Abstract

Studying the role of social change, I investigated trends in approval for euthanasia between cohorts in the United States and how those trends are influenced by cohort replacement and religious attitudes. Using 16 waves from the General Social Survey (1985 to 2014; n = 6,638), I estimated differences in approval ratings between cohorts using logistic regression models. Models accounted for religious preference, religiosity, age, sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, marital status, and political ideology. Members of the baby boomer cohort are significantly more likely to approve of euthanasia than either their predecessors or successors, suggesting a cohort effect. Individuals who belong to more conservative religious groups and display higher levels of religiosity are less likely to approve. Cohort has a meaningful effect on approval of euthanasia, successors to the baby boomer cohort might increase their approval as their religiosity decreases and their parents and grandparents increasingly face end-of-life decisions.

Perceptions of and Attitudes Toward Death, Dying, Grief, and the Finitude of Life—A Representative Survey Among the General Public in Germany

“…We tried to bridge this gap by conducting a survey among various members of the German general public, asking questions on different topics related to death such as whether people are rather burdened by the thought of their own death or the death of relatives, whether they think dying generally implies suffering, and whether children should also be confronted with the topic of death, dying, and grief, that is, death education programs. We also assessed the impact of aspects such as gender, age, and personal experiences with thoughts about (one’s own) mortality on attitudes and perceptions regarding the end of life, as they have been shown to impact attitudes toward and perceptions of the end of life in prior studies (Bassett, 2017; Frommelt, 2003; Maxfield et al., 2007; Skulason, Hauksdottir, Ahcic, & Helgason, 2014).…”

Spiritual Beliefs and Hastened Death: A Study on Medical Students

“…It further consolidated the well-established association between formal religiosity and disagreeability with hastened death and it raised important questions about how particular spiritual – but not necessarily religious – beliefs could be at the basis of individuals’ answers about hastened death, particularly in an opposite direction to that seen with religiosity. Still, some limitations of this study must be pointed out: only hastened death was studied, and not other medical ethical dilemmas of interest, such as that of abortion; and only one generational cohort was significantly used, though positions towards such dilemmas are known to differ between generations (Marsala, 2019). The effect of these spiritual beliefs in other generations is not assured.…”

“…Religion not only has been consistently associated with lesser approval (Hamil-Luker & Smith, 1998; Ward, 1980) but is one of the key predictors of attitudes towards hastened death (Bulmer et al., 2017; Danyliv & O’Neill, 2015; Marsala, 2019; Silva et al., 2019). Hence, as we have been witnessing a secularization of modern societies, it makes sense that agreeability with hastened death has been increasing over time (Danyliv & O’Neill, 2015).…”

“…Hence, as we have been witnessing a secularization of modern societies, it makes sense that agreeability with hastened death has been increasing over time (Danyliv & O’Neill, 2015). The most important contributor to this social change seems to be the effect of cohort replacement rather than individuals changing as they age, though approval of hastened death does decline as people get older (Marsala, 2019). Older people are more religious, as well (Bautista et al., 2018).…”

“If Only I Could Start All over…” A Case Study of Spiritual Care Provision to a Patient with a Psychiatric Disorder Requesting Physician-Assisted Dying in The Netherlands

“…The notion that suffering may eventually be unendurable, and that ending life may be a valid response to such suffering, may thus conflict with traditional religious convictions. Empirical research shows that an increase in public support of PAD in various countries is correlated with a decline in religiosity (Cohen et al 2006;Emanuel et al 2016;Halman and van Ingen 2015;Marsala 2019), and that religious commitment of individuals is associated with opposition to PAD (Aghababaei 2013;Cohen et al 2006;Fortuin et al 2020). Considering or approving the option to end one's own life or request assistance with dying in the context of unbearable suffering reflects core humanistic values such as respect for autonomy and self-determination.…”