Medical students and end-of-life decisions: the influence of religion

Abstract

The objective of this study was to see if medical students' attitudes about medically assisted dying were influenced by their religious background and current beliefs. A cohort study was conducted using a self-completion study questionnaire in a large UK medical school. In total, 400 out of 505 questionnaires were completed (79%). The study population's characteristics are summarised as follows: mean age 22.7 years (range 18-44); 68.5% believe in god, 31.5% have no belief in god; religious background: Christian 45%, Hindu 16.5%, Muslim 22%, Other 10% and None 7%. The majority of students did not agree with euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the study scenario. Those who had a belief in god were more likely to disagree with actions that hasten death. The findings show this was particularly the case with students from a Muslim background. Gender was not related to overall agreement with actions that hasten death; being older, a finalist and a graduate were weakly associated with a greater likelihood of agreeing with such acts. This is an important issue which warrants further enquiry. The demographics of the UK medical population continue to shift, containing a higher proportion of people from Asia and with Asian British backgrounds than the general population. This study provides us with a basis for further exploration of the potential for disparity between the opinions of the UK population and those of medical workers and trainees, and how that might inform decisions about patient care at the end of life.