Attitudes of Older People Toward Suicide and Assisted Suicide: an Analysis of Gallup Poll Findings

A sample of 802 Americans aged 60 years & older was surveyed by telephone in November 1992 regarding their attitudes toward suicide. The majority of respondents did not express lenient attitudes. In comparison with survey findings of physicians & the general population, a relatively smaller percentage of these respondents believe that physician-assisted suicide should be legalized. A hypothesized relation between risk factors for suicide & lenient attitudes toward suicide was supported.