NEWS STORY: Americans find common ground on dread topic _ death

c. 1997 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ Americans of a wide range of faiths often find common ground on a topic they dread: Death. A study conducted by American Health Decisions shows Americans fear being hooked up to machines at death, they don’t talk about their fears, and they put off writing their dying wishes […]

c. 1997 Religion News Service

WASHINGTON _ Americans of a wide range of faiths often find common ground on a topic they dread: Death.

A study conducted by American Health Decisions shows Americans fear being hooked up to machines at death, they don’t talk about their fears, and they put off writing their dying wishes because the subject is uncomfortable.”These findings challenge the presumption held by many that ethnic and religious differences, as well as age, account for the big differences with respect to people’s attitudes about preferences at the end of life,”said Beverly A. Tyler, lead author of the study.


No matter who the people are, or what their background is, the fears are the same, Tyler said.

The report,”The Quest to Die with Dignity,”was conducted by American Health Decisions, a national coalition of citizen groups involved in addressing ethical issues in health care. The study was conducted between March and May with 36 intensive focus groups, including 385 people in 32 cities.

The purpose of the study, funded by and prepared for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, was to examine common ideas and differences on when and how life should end. Results were categorized into race, religion, age as well as overall responses.”They differ only on a few specific issues in which ethnic and cultural background, religious beliefs, age and experience shape their perspectives,”said Tyler, executive director of Georgia Health Decisions.

For example, Muslims said they are less trusting of the health care system and are looking for more sensitivity to their religious and cultural needs.

Jews are more likely to support physician-assisted suicide. Protestants and Catholics are split on the same issue.

But people from a variety of religious groups agree on other matters related to health care at the end of their lives.”Americans from diverse backgrounds say they want the same thing,”Tyler said.”A humane, compassionate and trustworthy process for dying that allows them as much control as possible over what happens at the end of their lives.” Other findings showed that Americans don’t feel close enough to their physicians to discuss death-related issues. Some assume their families will know what to do at the time of death even though the issue hasn’t been discussed. And others don’t believe their expressed wishes will be followed.”What’s clear from this study is that one of the things that ails this country is the process of dying in and of itself,”Tyler said.”We need to educate people about their choices and change the way the health care system addresses the dying.”That may mean reconsidering some ideas such as living wills that just haven’t worked very well and coming up with something that fosters trust and understanding in the doctor-patient relationship.” The study group also stressed that the health care industry should take note of people’s cultural and religious backgrounds. They said religion plays a role in the differences in attitudes toward death and that the industry must show respect and sensitivity to religious viewpoints on the subject.

DEA END IRVIN

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