Similarities and Dissimilarities in Attitudes toward Death in a Population of Older Persons

The responses of one hundred and seventy-one elderly persons selected from three different types of residence communities to an abbreviated form of the Shneidman death questionnaire were analysed. In addition to some expected similarities, a number of significant differences were found. These differences appear to be related to educational level, type of residence community (rural, urban), and income level. Thus it was shown that certain life parameters outweigh the commonality of advanced age in influencing the attitudes of elderly persons toward certain aspects of death and dying. Educational and other implications of the results are discussed.