Statement | Protestant or Catholic (n=373) | No religion (n=62) | Significance |
---|---|---|---|
NB There were no respondents who described themselves as Jewish or Muslim; numbers of Hindu and Buddhist respondents were too small for analysis. | |||
1. There is no ethical difference between withholding (not starting) a life support measure and stopping it once it has been started. | 2.30 (1.16) | 2.81 (1.32) | P<.002 |
2. Sometimes it is appropriate to give pain medication to relieve suffering, even if it may hasten a patient's death. | 4.67 (.76) | 4.76 (.59) | P<.386 |
3. Although it may be illegal, it is not always unethical to hasten a patient's death upon his or her request. | 3.00 (1.29) | 3.77 (1.32) | P<.0001 |