Table 3

Factors associated with a doctor’s opinion that the law should be changed to allow active euthanasia “more than now”

FactorsUnivariate analysisMultivariate logistic analysis
No (%) of doctors feeling that law should be changed and active euthanasia allowed ‘more than now’First modelSecond model
OR (95% CI)p ValueOR (95% CI)p Value
Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) are adjusted for all the variables listed in the table. p Values refer to the overall significance of the variable. Attitude score was included in the model as a continuous variable: the OR indicates the increased likelihood of a doctor feeling that the law should be changed to allow euthanasia “more than now” per 1 point increase in the score.
*Reference category.
Country
    Italy19 (7)1.0*<0.0011.0*<0.001
    Spain19 (9)1.0 (0.5 to 1.9)1.0 (0.5 to 1.9)
    France49 (24)2.2 (1.2 to 4.1)0.5 (0.2 to 1.2)
    Germany21 (8)0.8 (0.3 to 1.7)0.7 (0.3 to 1.6)
    Netherlands71 (53)5.4 (2.5 to 11.7)2.4 (1.0 to 5.6)
    UK15 (17)0.8 (0.3 to 1.9)0.7 (0.3 to 1.8)
    Sweden1 (1)0.1 (0.01 to 0.6)0.1 (0.01 to 0.7)
    Hungary6 (5)0.5 (0.2 to 1.2)0.5 (0.2 to 1.2)
    Estonia1 (6)0.8 (0.1 to 6.1)0.8 (0.1 to 7.7)
    Lithuania2 (7)1.0 (0.4 to 2.7)0.5 (0.2 to 1.7)
Sex
    Male110 (13)1.0*0.0201.0*0.042
    Female92 (11)0.6 (0.4 to 0.9)0.6 (0.4 to 1.0)
Having had children
    Yes101 (9)1.0*0.0461.0*0.023
    No101 (16)1.6 (1.0 to 2.4)1.7 (1.1 to 2.6)
Religious background
    Catholic116 (11)1.0*0.4461.0*0.302
    Protestant37 (9)0.8 (0.4 to 1.6)0.8 (0.4 to 1.5)
    Other11 (20)1.7 (0.6 to 5.0)2.1 (0.6 to 6.8)
    None38 (27)1.4 (0.6 to 3.1)1.4 (0.6 to 3.2)
Importance of religion
    Not important147 (18)1.0*0.0151.0*0.018
    Important53 (7)0.6 (0.4 to 0.9)0.6 (0.4 to 0.9)
Length of experience in neonatal intensive care
    <6 years114 (14)1.0*0·0901.0*0.013
    6–15 years61 (11)0.6 (0.4 to 1.0)0.5 (0.3 to 0.9)
    >15 years29 (9)0.6 (0.3 to 1.0)0.5 (0.3 to 0.9)
Regular involvement in research
    No136 (11)1.0*<0.0011.0*<0.001
    Yes68 (17)2.2 (1.5 to 3.2)2.2 (1.4 to 3.3)
Attitude score1.6 (1.4 to 1.9)<0.0011.6 (1.3 to 1.8)<0.001
Having ever made or participated in a decision of active euthanasia
    Never107 (8)1.0*<0.001
    Once or more93 (34)5.7 (2.8 to 11.5)