Background: Until now older adults have not been a target group for surveys regarding their personal attitudes towards euthanasia, although they are closest to chronic illness and death.
Objective: To determine the attitudes of older adults towards euthanasia and controversial topics in the context of illness, euthanasia and care (e. g. palliative care) on the basis of a representative sample.
Material and methods: The study was based on a postal survey of a representative random sample of the population aged 65 years and older (n = 3500) from a city in southern Germany using a standardized questionnaire.
Results: A total of 1068 persons completed the questionnaire (response rate 30.5%). Assisted death was supported by 74.2% of the respondants and assisted suicide by 80.4%. According to multiple logistic regression analysis the support decreased with increasing strength of religious faith and a non-German country of origin. Of the participants 53.3% were worried about being a burden to their family, especially people with a limited state of health. People who shared this concern showed significantly more support for both types of euthanasia. More than 40% feared that people with severe and incurable illnesses would be more likely to be forced into a premature death (slippery slope argument). This concern was associated with a decreasing support of euthanasia.
Conclusion: The results indicate that the strong approval of the legalization of assisted death and assisted suicide by older people is motivated not only by their desire for a self-determined death but also by fears and concerns. The findings have important implications for counseling, palliative care and treatment.
Keywords: Assisted suicide; Attitude to death; Palliative care; Religious faith; Slippery slope arguments.