Describes series of specific questions to give more precision to vaguely worded advance directives that allow individuals to leave instructions about the conditions under which they would and would not want to be allowed to die. Encourages all competent adults to consider and answer these questions. (Author/NB)

Questioned 48 hospice experts to elicit group judgments about hospice ideology, control over one's own death trajectory, and hospice's relevance for older individuals. Although high rate of consensus was obtained on many issues, little evidence of coherent ideology could be detected linking notions of hospice origins, issues of patient control,…

Notes that, in survey of 50 cancer patients offered living wills, 6 individuals declined to sign advance directives. Contains detailed evaluation of each of six cases. Discusses potential value of living wills in context of other, newer forms of advance directives, such as durable power of attorney for health care, and more detailed living will…

Results of research directly and indirectly applicable to life support indicate that patients and intimates suffer less psychological distress if those who have close positive relationship with patient maintain emotional closeness to patient and participate in making decisions concerning life support. Suggests that people feel less distress if…

Presents interview with Ralph Mero, Executive Director of Compassion in Dying, Seattle (Washington)-based organization that has brought new voice to controversial issue of physician-assisted rational suicide. Mero explains how his years as minister watching people suffer with cancer or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome led him to work for…

Begins with a theoretical elaboration of individualism. Argues its development is associated with an emergent death ideology emphasizing personal control. In two national samples attitudes toward suicide, abortion and the right to die scaled unidimensionally. Results indicated indices of individualism were the best predictors of position on this…

Examined life ownership orientation (extent to which one believes that God, individual, or society has power over one's life) among 117 college students who completed Life Ownership Orientation Questionnaire (LOOQ). Found LOOQ scores demonstrated higher predictive validity with regard to attitudes toward abortion, suicide, doctor-assisted suicide,…