Attitudes of People With Disabilities Toward Physician-Assisted Suicide Legislation: Broadening the Dialogue

This article presents the methods, findings, & implications of a participatory action research project that attempted to shed additional light on the debate over death with dignity or physician-assisted suicide legislation. Among 45 physically disabled residents of the San Francisco Bay Area who participated, the desire for autonomy in making end-of-life decisions was a primary concern, yet fear that PAS legislation could violate this autonomy in various ways was a deep concern as well. Findings are discussed in detail. (33 refs)