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Table 2 Background characteristics of interview respondents

From: Opinions about euthanasia and advanced dementia: a qualitative study among Dutch physicians and members of the general public

 

Physicians (n = 49) N (%)

Members of the general public (n = 16) (%) N

Age

  

Mean ± SD

49 ± 9

54 ± 13

Gender

  

Male

33 (67)

8 (50)

Female

16 (33)

8 (50)

Education 1

  

Low

n.a.

5 (31)

Middle

n.a.

6 (38)

High

49 (100)

5 (31)

Experience with euthanasia request 3

  

Yes

38 (78)

4 (25)

No

10 (20)

12 (75)

Unknown

1 (2)

n.a.

Experience with advance directive 4

  

Yes

19 (30)

1 (6)

No

26 (53)

14 (88)

Unknown

4 (8)

1 (6)

Care setting

  

Hospital care2

16 (33)

n.a.

Home care

19 (39)

n.a.

Nursing home care

14 (28)

n.a.

Unknown

n.a.

n.a.

Attitude towards euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide

  

Liberal

23 (47)

8 (50)

Intermediate

0 (0)

3 (19)

Conservative

22 (45)

5 (31)

Unknown

4 (8)

n.a.

  1. 1Low = level 1-3 according to ISCED guidance (primary school, lower secondary general education, lower vocational education), middle = level 4 according to ISCED guidance (intermediate vocational or higher secondary general education), high = level 5-7 according to ISCED guidance (higher vocational education or university).
  2. 2internal medicine (2), sugery (1), neurology (5), pulmonology (5), cardiology (3).
  3. 3Experience with a patient’s (for physicians) or relative’s (for members of the general public) actual request in the last 5 years.
  4. 4Experience with an incompetent patient’s (for physicians) or relative’s (for members of the general public) advance directive in the last 5 years, in a situation where a medical decision needed to be made.