July 18, 2020
VAD Survey Results
VAD Survey by Dr David Swanton, Ethical Rights, Canberra Australia
(Survey developed in conjunction with Dr Wendy Gunthorpe, Straight Talk Consulting)
Survey Background
- Survey conducted: 27 July 2020 – 27 February 2021
- Sent to World Federation of Right to Die Societies, Exit International, Dying with Dignity (DWD) and Voluntary Euthanasia Societies (VES), who then forwarded it to their members
- 1640 responses worldwide, ≈1.5% response rate, error ≤3% (95% confidence)
- That is, given a response to a particular question of, for example 60%, we can be 95% sure that the true percentage of the population who would choose a response lies within the margin of error, that is between 57% and 63%
Demographics
- 60% Australia, 18% USA, 6% other European, 5% UK
- 60% female, 92% were >50y, and 40% were 70–79y
- 76% not religious;
- 68% have at least one higher degree
- 45% belong to Exit, 43% to DWDs, 16% to VESs, and 13% to other organisations
- 72% did not have disability; 29% of those had particular needs
- In Australia, 32% had no preferred political party. Supported parties were Greens (20%), Labor (18%), and Liberal (18%)
- Most people joined to obtain information, practical advice and support their organisation
Attitudes I – VAD Eligibility
Attitudes II – Desired Location of Death
Attitudes III – Quality of Life
Summary of Results
- There is a need for VAD to be legalised.
- VAD advocates are mainly older, well-educated, not religious and generally not interested in travelling to another country to die.
- Regulatory systems should focus on permitting well-informed persons with decision making capacity making voluntary decisions to die.
- Less importance should be attached to being terminally ill, having doctors administer drugs, residency/citizenship or having limited life expectancy.
- People with advance directives and those suffering unbearably, (not terminally ill) should have access to VAD.
- Doctors should be able to prescribe a lethal drug and non-doctors should be permitted to assist with VAD.
- Consideration should be given to expanding VAD regulation to give access to those suffering from mental illness, dementia, clinical depression and children.
Legalised VAD provides
- reduced suffering
- comfort knowing that their end of life needs will be met and illegal options will be unnecessary
- peace of mind knowing that they won’t suffer if their mental situation worsens with VAD-relevant advance directives won’t require doctors for drug administration
can have a spouse or partner present at their death
Exit