Dementia and euthanasia

A survey of 725 people in London and the South East has found that in the face of severe dementia less than 40% of people would wish to be resuscitated after a heart attack, nearly three-quarters wanted to be allowed to die passively and almost 60% agreed with euthanasia. People were more likely to be in favour of life-sustaining treatments for their partner than for themselves but less likely to be in favour of euthanasia for their partners than themselves. White people were significantly more likely to refuse life-sustaining treatment and to agree to euthanasia compared to Black and Asian people.

Williams, Nia - Public attitudes to life-sustaining treatments and euthanasia in dementia International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry December 2007, 22(12), 1229-1234