Most Kiwis support euthanasia for those with painful, incurable diseases

Stuff co.nz 13 January 2017
Just 12 per cent of Kiwis are completely opposed to the legalisation of assisted dying, according to a University of Auckland study.
In a survey of 15,822 people, 66 per cent supported euthanasia as a legal means of ending the lives of people with painful, incurable diseases.
“There is strong public support for euthanasia when people are asked whether doctors should be allowed by law to end the life of a patient with a painful incurable disease upon their request,” concluded the authors, led by post-graduate psychology student Carol Lee.
The results were taken from the 2014-15 New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS) survey, which Lee said provided “reliable demographic and personality differences in support for euthanasia”.
Non-religious, younger, employed, rural people were more likely to support euthanasia, the authors said.
Bob McCoskrie, spokesman for Family First, rejected the survey’s findings, labelling it a “weak, incomplete survey, drawing dubious conclusions, by its own admission”.
“It appears to be set on finding the answer it wants, despite its own admission of significant limitations.”
READ MORE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/euthanasia-debate/88349694/most-kiwis-support-euthanasia-for-those-with-painful-incurable-diseases
Most New Zealanders support euthanasia, study suggests
NewsHub 13 January 2017
A majority of New Zealanders support euthanasia, according to a new study.
More than 15,000 people took part in the 2014/15 New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study which, for the first time, included a question on assisted dying.
Respondents were asked: “Suppose a person has a painful incurable disease. Do you think that doctors should be allowed by law to end the patient’s life if the patient requests it?”
Sixty-six percent of participants were in support, 21.7 percent indicated they were neutral/unsure and 12.3 percent were strongly opposed.
The researchers found non-religious, younger, employed, and rural people were more likely to support euthanasia, whereas people with lower income, who were parents, or of Pacific or Asian ethnicity tended to be less supportive.
“Because we have such a national representative example of New Zealanders, findings of our study are likely to reflect what the general New Zealand public over the age of 18 think about this issue,” study author, University of Auckland masters student, Carol Lee says.
READ MORE: http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/health/2017/01/most-new-zealanders-support-euthanasia-study-suggests.html
NZ study shows strong euthanasia support
NZ City 13 January 2017
Most New Zealanders support assisted dying for patients with painful terminal conditions, Auckland University researchers have found.
Nearly 16,000 people were surveyed for the research, published in the New Zealand Medical Journal on Friday, which also found demographic and personality differences in people’s opinions on the issue.
Two thirds were in favour when asked if a doctors should be allowed to end the life of a patient with a painful incurable disease if the patient requested it.
Just 12 per cent were opposed, while 22 per cent said they were neutral.
Act Party leader David Seymour, who is seeking to have his End of Life Choice member’s bill put before parliament, says it’s now impossible to deny public support for assisted dying.
“The sample size of this survey eclipses previous polling on this topic, while also backing up previous findings: New Zealanders support the right to an assisted death for the painfully ill,” he said.
The wording of the poll has been questioned by Family First’s Bob McCoskrie, who argues the scenario of a person suffering a painful death is no longer valid thanks to “the availability and effectiveness of palliative care”.
Mr Seymour admitted polling could be influenced by the wording but rejected the views of Mr McCoskrie and other deniers as “living in dreamland”.
READ MORE: http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=240758
Desperate euthanasia opponents are dishonest or innumerate
Scoop 13 January 2017
READ MORE: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1701/S00030/desperate-euthanasia-opponents-are-dishonest-or-innumerate.htm