PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to examine the attitude to euthanasia of polymorbid disabled (PD) patients, residents of Varna region.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study includes 305 PD patients certified by the General Territorial Expert Medical Commission (TEMC) of St. Marina University Hospital of Varna.
RESULTS: The results indicate that PD patients assume active euthanasia as a humane act and as an act of compassion (49.6%) rather than of murder. Its approval decreases (in 49.5% of respondents) when it comes to make a decision for active euthanasia of a sick family member. More than half of PD respondents take the view that severely and incurably ill subjects in our country require qualitative palliative care rather than legalization of euthanasia. The present results reveal a decrease of trust in the public health system in our country, whereas the reasons for disapproval of legalization of euthanasia reported by 31.6% of respondents are related to a potential risk of abuse and distrust of Bulgarian physicians. Some 70.5% of respondents report an absent adequate access to supportive treatment and qualitative palliative care as a major problem in our country. A total of 70.1% of PD patients declare that our society is not ready for adopting the law about legalization of euthanasia since there are no appropriate circumstances for this act.
Scripta Scientifica Medica 2013; 45(4): 66-70.
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