Three out of five Canadians are concerned that inadequate health care may push vulnerable individuals toward medical assistance in dying (MAID), according to new research from the Angus Reid Institute in partnership with Cardus. The findings highlight growing unease about the intersection of Canada's health care challenges and its leadership in assisted dying.Since MAID was legalized in 2016, more than 40,000 Canadians have chosen this end-of-life option, with support for the procedure continuing to grow. Yet, 62% of respondents worry that socially or financially vulnerable individuals may turn to MAID due to a lack of access to adequate and quality care. This concern is especially acute among those living with severe disabilities, who are more than twice as likely as others to express strong apprehension about the issue.The study also underscores the struggles people with disabilities face in accessing quality health care. A majority of respondents with moderate or severe physical or mental health disabilities reported experiencing discrimination, including worse access to and quality of care. Among health care professionals surveyed, just 37% rated care for people with disabilities as good or excellent, while 45% deemed it poor or terrible. Additionally, 40% of health workers admitted lacking the knowledge and tools to adequately address the needs of patients with disabilities.Despite these challenges, support for MAID remains robust, with 63% of Canadians backing its availability under expanded 2021 criteria that removed the requirement for a reasonably foreseeable death. Only 22% of respondents oppose MAID under the revised guidelines.As Canada continues to lead the world in assisted dying, the debate over whether the increasing use of MAID represents progress in patient autonomy or a troubling response to health care deficiencies remains unresolved.
Three out of five Canadians are concerned that inadequate health care may push vulnerable individuals toward medical assistance in dying (MAID), according to new research from the Angus Reid Institute in partnership with Cardus. The findings highlight growing unease about the intersection of Canada's health care challenges and its leadership in assisted dying.Since MAID was legalized in 2016, more than 40,000 Canadians have chosen this end-of-life option, with support for the procedure continuing to grow. Yet, 62% of respondents worry that socially or financially vulnerable individuals may turn to MAID due to a lack of access to adequate and quality care. This concern is especially acute among those living with severe disabilities, who are more than twice as likely as others to express strong apprehension about the issue.The study also underscores the struggles people with disabilities face in accessing quality health care. A majority of respondents with moderate or severe physical or mental health disabilities reported experiencing discrimination, including worse access to and quality of care. Among health care professionals surveyed, just 37% rated care for people with disabilities as good or excellent, while 45% deemed it poor or terrible. Additionally, 40% of health workers admitted lacking the knowledge and tools to adequately address the needs of patients with disabilities.Despite these challenges, support for MAID remains robust, with 63% of Canadians backing its availability under expanded 2021 criteria that removed the requirement for a reasonably foreseeable death. Only 22% of respondents oppose MAID under the revised guidelines.As Canada continues to lead the world in assisted dying, the debate over whether the increasing use of MAID represents progress in patient autonomy or a troubling response to health care deficiencies remains unresolved.
