Polls

August 2015

Survey Sampling International did a poll conducted by IGS Institute of Governmental Studies of the University of California, Berkeley: It found that Californians overwhelmingly support medical aid in dying for terminally ill people. 76 % of respondents supported that idea, including 82 % of Democrats, 79 % of independents and 67 % of Republicans.

Summary / Results of the poll (link)

June 2015

Doctor-assisted dying widely supported
The British magazine The Economist and Ipsos MORI surveyed opinions on doctor-assisted dying in 15 countries on whether doctors should be allowed to help patients to die, and if so, how and when. Overall, the survey found strong support across America, Western Europe and Australia for allowing doctors to prescribe lethal drugs to patients with terminal diseases as well as patients who are in great physical suffering but not close to death.

Results of the poll (link)

August 2014

Dying with Dignity Canada commissioned Ipsos Reid to conduct a public perceptions study around the issue of assisted dying. Topics such as opinions and favourability of the issue, different scenarios involving legalization, and general attitudes towards different aspects of the issue were covered.

Results / Executive Summary (PDF)

Infographic of key findings (PDF)

October – November 2012

Australian public opinion poll conducted by Newspoll on behalf of YourLastRight.com

This research covered three main subject areas:
1) To assess ongoing headline support for legalisation of assisted dying, and the characteristics of supporters and opponents
2) To determine how personally important assisted dying legalisation is (or is not) to Australians, compared with other key policy issues currently under debate or already dealt with by politicians
3) To establish what if any changes in voter behaviour would occur for general election candidates who support and for those who oppose assisted dying law reform

Analysis of the research (link / pdf)

September - October 2012

Self-determination in the view of Europeans: The Swiss Medical Lawyers Association (SMLA) asked the renowned research institute ISOPUBLIC to carry out an extensive opinion poll, which analysed the position of the population in twelve European States on the issue of self-determination at the end of life

Results of the opinion poll (Link / PDF)

February 2010, July 2010, March 2011 and March 2013

Living Wills (advance directives), doctor’s assistance to die for terminally ill and old age rational suicide in the view of Britons: Polls carried out by ICM Direct and Kindle Research, commissioned by the Society For Old Age Rational Suicide (SOARS)

Summary of findings and polling results (Link)