KMID : 1044620210540050360
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Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health 2021 Volume.54 No. 5 p.360 ~ p.369
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Public Preferences for Allocation Principles for Scarce Medical Resources in the COVID-19 Pandemic in Korea: Comparisons With Ethicists¡¯ Recommendations
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Lee Ji-Su
Kim So-Yun Do Young-Kyung
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Abstract
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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate public preferences regarding allocation principles for scarce medical resources in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, particularly in comparison with the recommendations of ethicists.
Methods: An online survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 1509 adults residing in Korea, from November 2 to 5, 2020. The degree of agreement with resource allocation principles in the context of the medical resource constraints precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic was examined. The results were then compared with ethicists¡¯ recommendations. We also examined whether the perceived severity of COVID-19 explained differences in individual preferences, and by doing so, whether perceived severity helps explain discrepancies between public preferences and ethicists¡¯ recommendations.
Results: Overall, the public of Korea agreed strongly with the principles of ¡°save the most lives,¡± ¡°Koreans first,¡± and ¡°sickest first,¡± but less with ¡°random selection,¡± in contrast to the recommendations of ethicists. ¡°Save the most lives¡± was given the highest priority by both the public and ethicists. Higher perceived severity of the pandemic was associated with a greater likelihood of agreeing with allocation principles based on utilitarianism, as well as those promoting and rewarding social usefulness, in line with the opinions of expert ethicists.
Conclusions: The general public of Korea preferred rationing scarce medical resources in the COVID-19 pandemic predominantly based on utilitarianism, identity and prioritarianism, rather than egalitarianism. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for discrepancies between public preferences and ethicists¡¯ recommendations.
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KEYWORD
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Resource allocation, Health care rationing, COVID-19, Empirical ethics
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