Table 3.

Summary of responses to five opinion-based questions (all results are percentages)

	Question	General public (n=65)	Patients with COPD (n=62)	Managers (n=10)	Ambulance crew (n=68)	Nurses (n=22)	Doctors (n=22)
1	If you had a heart attack and were told that there was disagreement among scientists as to whether oxygen might help you get better or may possibly make you worse what would be your view?
a	I would trust the ambulance crew to give the right dose of oxygen	77	63	30	48	14	18
b	I would want oxygen as a precaution	3	15	20	15	5	18
c	I would not want oxygen in case it might harm me	3	2	0	3	9	0
d	I would want to discuss various options	12	16	20	28	32	50
e	I have a different view	0	0	20	1	9	0
Blank		5	5	10	4	32	14
2	If you had a heart attack, how would you feel about taking part in a trial of oxygen therapy?
a	I would be keen to take part	37	29	10	28	9	27
b	I would not want to take part	18	13	20	10	9	9
c	I would want a detailed explanation	26	40	20	40	32	32
d	Happy to take part and to discuss later	8	6	30	7	14	9
e	I have a different view	3	5	10	7	5	9
Blank		8	6	10	7	32	14
3	Do you believe that oxygen is helpful for most medical emergencies?	68	79	20	41	18	36
4	Do you have any concerns that oxygen may be harmful in some medical emergencies?	25	35	100	73	64	55
5a	Do you think that it is right to allow researchers to undertake a randomised trial of oxygen therapy in circumstances where a patient is acutely unwell and cannot realistically give informed consent at the time when treatment is needed?	43	45	70	60	50	68
5b	Would it be reasonable to place patients in such a trial in an emergency and obtain consent later?	55	56	40	57	50	73

COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.