Undergraduates (n=296) read a fictional vignette concerning a person diagnosed with either terminal cancer or AIDS, and for varying lengths of time. Student reactions indicated that a person with AIDS is associated with greater stigma than a person with another fatal disease, regardless of how long ago the diagnosis was made. (JPS)

Investigated behavioral adjustment of 61 children (ages 4-16) during terminal illness and first year following sibling's death from cancer. Collected data from parents and teachers using Child Behavior Checklist. Results indicated that bereaved siblings demonstrated significantly higher levels of behavior problems and significantly lower social…

Developed Hospice Caregiver Assessment Inventory to identify problems of those caring for dying patients, and Caregiver Intervention Plan. Analysis of 24 inventories and assessment plans identified problems of caregivers of dying older people. Results suggest that caregivers often need counseling assistance prior to death of patient, as well as…

College students (N=780) read 1 of 12 scenarios of person who decided to commit suicide. Scenarios varied by age of victim (45 versus 70), gender, and illness (chronic depression, chronic physical pain, terminal bone cancer). Suicide evaluations tended to be significantly more favorable when evaluators were male, victims were male, victims were…

Grouped gay and bisexual men into three categories to determine their levels of death fear and threat, and these factors' relation to religiosity. Uninfected men who worked with AIDS patients exhibited the lowest fear of a premature death. Religion served as a moderately effective coping strategy for premature death. (RJM)

Evaluated a project to catalyze New York State medical schools to develop and implement strategic plans for curricular change to enhance palliative care education. Found that the project's process of self-assessment and curriculum mapping with the Palliative Education Assessment Tool, along with strategic planning for change, appears to have…

Examined medical school education on relating to terminally ill patients based on data from national surveys conducted in 1975, 1985, and 1995. The number of schools offering occasional lectures or short courses on death and dying increased from 80% in 1975 to 82% in 1985 to 90% in 1995. (MDM)

Examined circumstances in the last 3 days of life for a sample of 1,227 elderly decedents. Interviews were with a surviving next-of-kin or a nonrelative about three months after the event of death. Around 34% of the decedents knew that death was impending, while about 40% had difficulty recognizing family members. (RJM)

College students (n=228) completed a suicide ideation questionnaire and read one of 4 scenarios: cancer, AIDS, schizophrenia, and depression. People in the cancer and AIDS scenario were viewed as the most justified in committing suicide. Suicide ideators saw the people in the scenarios as justified in committing suicide more often than did…

Conducted national survey of public opinion on age-based rationing of health care resources. Oversampled older adults to allow more precise comparisons of attitude by age cohort as well as by other demographic variables. Found majority of people accepted withholding of life-prolonging medical care to hopelessly ill patients, but few would…

Presents findings from a mail survey of 414 persons regarding organ transplantation and donation policy issues. Gauged three measures of support for organ donation: donor card commitment, required request of next-of-kin support, and weak presumed consent support. High levels of support exist for organ donor cards and the next-of-kin law. Little…

Purpose: This study explored the psychosocial dynamics of short hospice stays (less than 2 weeks) of cancer patients age 65 and older. Design and Methods: In-depth interviews with 59 caregivers of 50 patients were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded by using Atlas ti software. Results: A descriptive typology is presented. A late diagnosis (n = 22…

Presents memoirs written by those who have cared for severely ill and disabled loved ones. Such memoirs reveal multiple meanings--many of them positive--inherent in caregiving, contradicting the professional paradigm that family caregiving equals stress. These memoirs can provide an empathic point of entry for clinicians. (RJM)

Participant-observation research was conducted in the home care components of a free-standing inpatient facility associated with several hospice organizations over three years. The data are reported using negotiated order theory as a framework for understanding the hospice movement and its attempts to change the experience of dying. (JPS)

Explored emotional states of dying patients, age, and family support. Findings from 26 terminally ill female cancer patients revealed that younger patients expressed more bargaining and complaints than older patients who revealed more depression and acceptance. Patients with immediate family support expressed less depression and more fears than…