The United Church Observer Life and Death Survey:

April 19, 2012

J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Report OutlineLife and Death Survey

Purpose of the Research

Methodology

Sample Profile

Detailed Results

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Purpose of the Research

J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Purpose of the ResearchLife and Death Survey

Explore contemporary ethical issues as they relate to life and death

In particular, examine the views of United Church Observer readers and compare their views to those of the general public (Anglophones)

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Methodology

J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Methodology – Observer ReadersLife and Death Survey

904 Observer readers, aged 18+, completed the surveyo 327 onlineo 577 hardcopy

Questionnaire administered in English

Average length of survey approximately 10 minutes

Fieldwork completed between March 1, 2012 and March 28, 2012

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

7

Methodology – General PublicLife and Death Survey

Online survey of 1000 Canadians, aged 18 and up

Questionnaire administered in English

Average length of survey approximately 10 minutes

Fieldwork completed between March 1, 2012 and March 6, 2012

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Sample Profile

J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

That’s great! Yes, please proceed! Just to confirm – this is a total of $2400 additional $$. Will Telepoll’s fee be less, or has that been factored in? Who is the other phone room? Cindy, many thanks for all your help with this. I really appreciate it.Karen

Sample Profile Life and Death Survey

Gender

Readers Gen Pop

Male 29% 48%

Female 71% 51%

Transgender 0% 1%

NA * *

Age

Readers Gen Pop

18-24 * 12%

25-34 2% 16%

35-44 3% 19%

45-54 6% 20%

55-64 17% 14%

65+ 69% 17%

NA 3% 2%

Education

Readers Gen Pop

Less than high school 2% 3%

Secondary (high) school diploma

11% 29%

Apprenticeship or trade diploma

4% 8%

College or other non-university diploma

20% 31%

Undergraduate degree/ diploma

22% 18%

Professional or graduate degree

40% 10%

NA * *

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Life and Death Survey

* Quebec sample appears small because it was based on a sample that did not include French speakers

Parenthood

Readers Gen Pop

Have child/ children 85% 61%

No child/ children 14% 39%

NA 1% *

Marital Status

Readers Gen Pop

Single (never married) 8% 25%

Widow/widower 22% 4%

Partnered and living as a couple

3% 11%

Married and living as a couple

58% 49%

Divorced or separated 7% 10%

NA 1% *

Region

Readers Gen Pop

Atlantic (NF, NS, NB, and PEI)

9% 10%

Quebec 2% 4%

Ontario 50% 48%

Prairies (MN, SK, and AB)

23% 21%

British Columbia 16% 17%

Territories * *

NA * *

Sample Profile

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Life and Death Survey

Gen PopReligious Affiliation

Net Christian 60%

Net NonChristian

9%

No affil. 31%

NA *

ReadersUCC Membership

Yes 96%

No 3%

NA *

Frequency of Worship

Readers Gen Pop

Weekly 68% 15%

Monthly 20% 6%

A few times per year

6% 16%

Almost never

4% 29%

Never 1% 33%

NA 1% *

Sample Profile

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Detailed Results

J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Life and Death Survey

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Detailed Results - Conception

Mean (1-5) Top Box (5)Strongly support

Readers Gen Pop Readers Gen Pop

Support for Artificial Insemination - Infertile Couples

Sperm donor is anonymous 3.7 3.6 40% 32%

Sperm donor is known, but not partner 3.3 3.5 28% 30%

Support for IVF - Infertile Couples

Sperm and egg donors are anonymous 3.4 3.4 33% 27%

Sperm donor is known, but not partner 3.3 3.5 27% 30%

Donors are anonymous, but chosen for resemblance 3.2 3.3 26% 25%

Donors are anonymous, but chosen for superior traits 1.8 2.6 4% 11%

Embryo is selected for its sex 1.6 2.3 3% 8%

Support for IVF/Genetic Diagnosis - Fertile Couples

To prevent serious childhood diseases 2.9 3.3 18% 26%

To prevent serious diseases later in life 2.9 3.3 18% 25%

To select physical characteristics 1.8 2.4 4% 8%

To select the baby’s sex 1.6 2.2 3% 8%

To select superior traits 1.6 2.3 3% 8% Q1,2,3

Life and Death Survey

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Detailed Results - Surrogacy

32%

4%

42%

6%13%

4%

20%

6%

51%

7%

15%

0%

An Infertile Couple Should Reimburse a Surrogate for...

ReadersGen. Pop.

Q4

Life and Death Survey

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Detailed Results - Abortion

Decision should be up to the woman

Laws should prohibit/restrict regardless of

woman's wishes

Undecided Prefer not to answer

83%

9% 6% 2%

69%

19%12%

*

Views Toward AbortionReadersGen. Pop

Never ac-ceptable

No later than 10 to 12 weeks

No later than 20 weeks

No later than 30 weeks

At any time during the pregnancy

Undecided Prefer not to answer

10%

46%

18%5% 10% 10%

1%

25% 33%

12% 4% 9% 17%*

When in a Pregnancy is Abortion Acceptable? ReadersGen. Pop

Q5,6

Life and Death Survey

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Detailed Results - Abortion

Mean (1-5) Top Box (5)Strongly support

Readers Gen Pop Readers Gen Pop

Support for Abortion, When...

Pregnancy is a result of sexual assault 4.7 4.1 80% 60%

A woman’s life will be threatened by pregnancy 4.7 4.2 77% 57%

Baby’s health is threatened by a mother’s addictions 4.4 3.9 62% 46%

Woman’s mental health will be seriously threatened 4.3 3.9 59% 43%

High probability of Down Syndrome or other condition 3.7 3.5 37% 34%

High risk of illness developing in middle age 3.5 3.3 29% 26%

Used as a form of birth control 2.3 2.2 12% 11%

Two or more fetuses are present, only one baby desired 1.7 2.0 5% 6%

Not the sex the that the mother prefers 1.2 1.5 1% 4%

Q7

Life and Death Survey

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Detailed results – Life-sustaining Treatments

Mean (1-5) Top Box (5)Strongly support

Readers Gen Pop Readers Gen Pop

Support for Life-sustaining Treatments, When...

Vegetative patient is five months pregnant 3.7 3.7 33% 30%

Benefits of treatment will only last a short while, and then death is expected

2.7 3.0 13% 15%

Family members of vegetative patient insist on life-sustaining measures for religious reasons

2.0 2.6 6% 11%

Vegetative patient has asked in advance for no life-sustaining treatment, but doctors insist on it

1.8 2.6 7% 13%

Q9

Life and Death Survey

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Detailed Results – Stem Cells

Mean (1-5) Top Box (5)Strongly support

Readers Gen Pop Readers Gen Pop

Support for Stem Cells, Taken From...

“Spare” embryos 3.7 3.3 42% 27%

Embryos created to treat ailment 3.4 3.3 36% 29%

Q8

Life and Death Survey

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Detailed Results - Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

Mean (1-5) Top Box (5)Strongly support

Readers Gen Pop Readers Gen Pop

Support for Euthanasia/Assisted Suicide, When...

Physician ends life of a terminally ill patient by disconnecting life-support, as per patient’s wishes

4.7 4.0 82% 48%

Physician and terminally ill patient agree on pain-management medication that may hasten death

4.6 3.7 72% 35%

Physician ends life of a terminally ill patient by giving a lethal dose of medication, as per patient’s wishes

4.2 3.6 60% 38%

Terminally ill person kills self with assistance of physician 3.9 3.4 48% 30%

Physician ends life of a terminally ill, vegetative patient who left no instructions and has no immediate family

3.9 3.2 47% 21%

Family member, as per instructions of terminally ill loved one, deliberately ends the person’s life

3.5 3.4 37% 28%

Terminally ill person kills self with assistance of family or friend

3.4 3.1 35% 24%

Family member deliberately ends the person’s life when patient unable to give consent and no prior instruction given

2.7 2.7 14% 12%

Q10,11

Life and Death Survey

T h e O b s e r v e r J a n e A r m s t r o n g R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t e s

Detailed Results - Shaping of Personal Ethics

Mean (1-5) Top Box (5)Strongly agree

Readers Gen Pop Readers Gen Pop

Agreement that views shaped by...

Desire to be as compassionate as possible toward others 4.7 4.3 73% 52%

Rational analysis of each situation 4.5 4.3 56% 48%

Attempt to take positions for the greatest good, for greatest number of people

4.0 3.9 44% 33%

Feelings that certain things are just right or wrong 3.7 4.1 30% 41%

Attempt to follow examples of Jesus or another prophet 3.6 2.8 29% 15%

Your upbringing 3.6 3.8 23% 33%

Sense that people should act in their own best interest 3.2 3.8 24% 37%

Commitment to following the laws of Canada 3.2 3.4 17% 21%

Attempt to dutifully follow rules from God, Allah, etc. 3.0 3.0 18% 20%

Desire to be as virtuous as possible 3.0 3.6 17% 26%

Your understanding of Scripture 2.9 2.8 14% 17%

Prevailing standards in your culture 2.9 3.2 9% 17%

Q12

Life and Death Survey

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Detailed Results - “Other” Shapers Of Ethics (volunteered)

Other

Your feeling that certain things are just right or wrong

Common sense

Religious faith/belief in an afterlife

Your upbringing

Right to death

Right to life/every life should be given a chance

Lack of religious faith

People should be allowed to do what's in their best interest

These issues should be left up to God

Your attempt to dutifully follow rules you believe come from God, Allah, etc.

Every situation is different/can have extenuating circumstances

Your desire to be as compassionate as possible toward others

Personal experience with near-death condition/abortion

Education

Death of a relative/family member/friend

Experiences (general)

Work experience in health care

Experience with person suffering/terminally ill

31

0

1

1

2

2

2

3

4

4

5

7

10

11

17

20

22

30

39

38

2

6

14

5

7

11

2

19

6

6

7

2

14

10

11

21

13

46

Gen. Pop.Readers

Note that figures represent total number of mentions

Q12a