https://doi.org/10.4081/mem.2025.1648
Attitude towards euthanasia among medical students: a cross-sectional study in Argentina
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Objective: To evaluate medical students’ understanding of the concept of euthanasia and their opinions on its legalization at a private university in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study was conducted using a voluntary and anonymous survey administered to medical students. Results: A total of 65.8% of respondents expressed support for the legalization of euthanasia. However, 70.9% mistakenly equated euthanasia with the limitation of therapeutic effort. A statistically significant relationship was observed between support for euthanasia and year of study [p < .001], with support decreasing in the later years of training. There was also a significant association [p < .001] between correctly identifying the definition of euthanasia and opposing its legalization. Students with an accurate understanding of euthanasia were more likely to disagree with its practice. Among those who supported legalization, only 13.6% selected the correct definition, while 68.4% of those opposed to it demonstrated an accurate understanding of the term. A further significant association [p < .001] indicated that students with a transcendent view of life were more likely to oppose the legalization of euthanasia. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of medical students confuse euthanasia with the limitation of therapeutic effort, often conflating it with palliative care. Greater medical and bioethical training is associated with increased opposition to the legalization of euthanasia. These findings underscore the need to strengthen bioethical education in medical curricula.
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