Table 2. Participant responses to statements regarding dementia and euthanasia (5-point Likert scale).
| Statement | ‘Rather not’ to ‘not agree’, n (%) | ‘Rather agree’ to ‘completely agree’, n (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Euthanasia in patients without dementia is more acceptable than in patients with dementia | 17 (19) | 59 (69) |
| Euthanasia in patients with dementia and concomitant diseases is more acceptable than in cases of 'healthy' dementia patients | 21 (24) | 51 (59) |
| A medically classifiable condition (that is, more than a medical basis) is a requirement to perform euthanasia or assisted suicide | 29 (33) | 40 (43) |
| In an older person, who suffers unbearably due to an accumulation of medical and non-medical problems, euthanasia or medically assisted suicide may be acceptable to me | 18 (20) | 63 (70) |
| Euthanasia or medically assisted suicide is only acceptable to me if the patient suffers from a terminal illness | 54 (59) | 28 (30) |
| At the firsta stage of dementia, euthanasia is acceptable | 40 (46) | 32 (44) |
| At the progressiveb stage of dementia, euthanasia is acceptable | 22 (39) | 44 (51) |
| At the progressedc stage of dementia, euthanasia is acceptable | 25 (29) | 56 (65) |
| At the finald stage of dementia, euthanasia is acceptable | 21 (24) | 63 (72) |
| Legislation on euthanasia in patients with dementia needs adjustment | 20 (34) | 49 (56) |
| The current euthanasia law offers no room for assistance with a request for termination of life in patients with dementia | 8 (9) | 75 (85) |
| With regards to legislation of euthanasia, dementia and coma patients are to be treated equally | 24 (28) | 58 (67) |
| It is important that the patient gives their consent at the decisive moment | 26 (30) | 44 (51) |
| If legislation allows euthanasia in case of dementia, relatives will put pressure on at the decisive moment | 14 (16) | 63 (72) |
Category 'neutral’: omitted. aMoments of memory loss, fear of future, aware of disease. bDisorientation in time and space, problems recognising relatives. cRegression, no awareness of time and space, repetition of actions and noises. dNo interaction, no communication, no active reactions.