Reviews research concerning the nature of the relationship between cancer and suicide and considers its implications on the rational suicide movement. Findings do not indicate a higher incidence of suicide among cancer patients, questioning the rational suicide position. (JAC)

Study of prejudice directed toward deviant and psychiatric groups and toward religious and ethnic groups involving 44 college student subjects replicated results of 25-year-old study. Deviant and psychiatric groups, including people dying from cancer and suicide attempters, received more prejudice than did religious and ethnic groups. Extraversion…

Examined whether illness type, pain level, and life expectancy affected reactions of undergraduates (n=160) toward a terminal illness suicide with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or cancer. AIDS patients were more stigmatized than cancer patients; suicide was more tolerated if victim was suffering greater pain. (Author/ABL)

Examined factors influencing the evaluation of a patient contemplating suicide, in a study of 138 health care professionals. Results showed subjects' evaluations, acceptance, and behavior were affected by their belief that the patient had cancer and/or was dying, and by their own degree of death anxiety. (JAC)

Assessed whether attitudes toward suicide vary as function of type of illness that precipitates suicide. College students (N=455) responded to scenarios of suicide victim. Evaluations of suicide were most favorable when it occurred in response to terminal physical illness; less favorable in response to chronic, non-terminal physical illness; and…