Descriptions of euthanasia as social representations: comparing the views of Finnish physicians and religious professionals

Abstract

In many western societies health professionals play a powerful role in people's experiences of dying. Religious professionals, such as pastors, are also confronted with the issues surrounding death and dying in their work. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the ways in which death-related topics, such as euthanasia, are constructed in a given culture are affected by the views of these professionals. This qualitative study addresses the ways in which Finnish physicians and religious professionals perceive and describe euthanasia and conceptualises these descriptions and views as social representations. Almost all the physicians interviewed saw that euthanasia does not fit the role of a physician and anchored it to different kinds of risks such as the slippery slope. Most of the religious and world-view professionals also rejected euthanasia. In this group, euthanasia was rejected on the basis of a religious moral code that forbids killing. Only one of the religious professionals -the freethinker with an atheist worldview -accepted euthanasia and described it as a personal choice, as did the one physician interviewed who accepted it. The article shows how the social representations of euthanasia are used to protect professional identities and to justify their expert knowledge of death and dying.

The Traditional Model Does Not Explain Attitudes Toward Euthanasia

“…While euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg, it is unlawful in Finland and in several other countries. (Cohen, Van Landeghem, Carpentier, & Deliens, 2013;Danyliv & O'Neill, 2015;ETENE, 2012;Jylha¨nkangas, Smets, Cohen, Utriainen, & Deliens, 2014;Louhiala, Enkovaara, Halila, Pa¨lve, & Va¨nska¨, 2015. ) Attitudes toward euthanasia in Western European countries generally became more positive between 1981 and 2008, but the trend in most Central and Eastern European countries has gone in the opposite direction (Cohen et al, 2013).…”

“…While euthanasia is legal in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg, it is unlawful in Finland and in several other countries. (Cohen, Van Landeghem, Carpentier, & Deliens, 2013; Danyliv & O’Neill, 2015; ETENE, 2012; Jylhänkangas, Smets, Cohen, Utriainen, & Deliens, 2014; Louhiala, Enkovaara, Halila, Pälve, & Vänskä, 2015. )…”

“…An individual’s religious faith or religiosity is widely recognized as one of the strongest indicators of euthanasia acceptance, correlating negatively with support for euthanasia (Aghababaei et al., 2014; Baeke, Wils, & Broeckaert, 2011; Cohen et al., 2006; Danyliv& O’Neill, 2015; Jylhänkangas et al., 2014; Ryynänen et al., 2002; Televantos et al., 2013). This effect has been observed at the individual level among adherents of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam (Aghababaei et al., 2014; Cohen et al., 2006; Köneke, 2014; Sikora & Lewins, 2007).…”

“…Apart from individuals’ demographic factors, previous studies have linked “slippery slope” arguments with more negative attitudes toward euthanasia (Köneke, 2014; Ryynänen et al., 2002; Verbakel & Jaspers, 2010). Arguments of this sort state that if euthanasia were made permissible for one part of population, usually competent and terminally ill patients living in unbearable agony, it would later be extended to incompetent ones such as children or comatose patients (Jylhänkangas et al., 2014; Köneke, 2014; Ryynänen et al., 2002). The slippery slope hypothesis predicts that people in vulnerable groups would have more negative attitudes toward euthanasia based on a stronger fear of its potential abuse (Jylhänkangas et al., 2014; Verbakel & Jaspers, 2010).…”

Expanded definitions of the ‘good death’? Race, ethnicity and medical aid in dying

“…Those opposed often cite religious reasons. Studies find that both religious affiliation and behaviours associated with religion (attendance or identification) are associated with lower rates of approval of AID (Burdette et al, 2005, Jylhänkangas et al, 2014). Beyond religion, some have expressed concerns about how the option of AID might negatively affect society as a whole.…”