Near-death experiences (NDEs) share common themes across cultures, but their phenomenology differs between particular cultures and typical western European experiences. The article compares descriptions of NDEs from a cross-cultural perspective, concluding that variability likely arises from interpretation and verbalization filtered through language, cultural experiences, religion, education, and their interplay, rather than from the core experience itself.
About 8 percent of the Australian population reports having had a near death experience (NDE), according to a telephone survey. Among people who faced a situation of imminent death, 36 percent had such an experience, and nearly one-quarter of those individuals reported an NDE. This Australian rate falls between the 15 percent prevalence found in a U.S. study and the 4 percent rate from a more controlled German study. The authors present their questionnaire for use in future research.
About 3% of a random sample of 826 patients admitted to a general hospital in Sri Lanka reported having had a near-death experience (NDE). Those who reported NDEs were on average older and more often male, though women described deeper experiences. Patients from theistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism) reported NDEs significantly more often than those from the non-theistic Buddhist group. The NDE-positive group also more frequently felt they were about to die, had loss of consciousness, and were internal medicine patients. This is the first assessment of NDEs in a general hospital population and the first report from Sri Lanka, noting a novel link between theistic belief and NDE reporting.