An assessment of physicians' knowledge of and attitudes toward the near-death experience.
Journal of Near-Death Studies 1994 DOI: 10.17514/jnds-1994-13-2-p91-102. (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Survey Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 143 |
| Population | Staff physicians in the Baptist Memorial Hospital System |
| Measures | Near-Death Phenomena Knowledge and Attitudes Questionnaire (modified version of Thornburg's, 1988) |
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Citations | 13 |
| Key findings | Fewer than one-fourth of surveyed physicians had a well-grounded knowledge base regarding near-death experiences, while two-thirds had a positive attitude toward them. The authors suggest this gap indicates a need for inservice education for medical and nursing staff and recommend further studies with larger, wider-ranging populations. |
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate physicians' knowledge of and attitudes toward near-death experiences (NDEs). The study population consisted of 143 staff physicians in the Baptist Memorial Hospital System. Participants completed by mail a modified version of Thornburg's (1988) Near-Death Phenomena Knowledge and Attitudes Questionnaire. Less than one-fourth of the physicians had a well-grounded knowledge base regarding NDEs, while two-thirds had a positive attitude toward NDEs. These data suggest the need for inservice programs for medical and nursing staff regarding near-death phenomena. Further studies assessing physicians' knowledge of and attitudes toward NDEs are recommended utilizing a larger population from a wider geographical region.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fantasy Proneness Correlates With the Intensity of Near-Death Experience Individuals who have experienced a near-death experience (classical or NDE-like) and... | 2018 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 228 |
| A systematic analysis of distressing near-death experience accounts Individuals who had a near-death experience and wrote down their account | 2019 | Cross-sectional study | n = 123 |
| Reduced death threat in near-death experiencers Adults who had near-death experiences, came close to death without NDE, or never came... | 1992 | Cross-sectional study | n = 290 |
| Near-Death Experiences in a Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic Population Psychiatric outpatients | 2003 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 832 |
| Near-Death States Reported in a Sample of 50 Misusers Previous ketamine misusers who reported a ketamine-related near-death experience | 2010 | Cross-sectional survey | n = 50 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- The impact of near-death experiences on persons who have not had them: A report of a preliminary study and two replications. Journal of Near-Death Studies 1995
- Teaching about near-death experiences: the effectiveness of using The Day I Died. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying 2011
- [Brief report].Psychologists’ knowledge of and attitudes about near-death experiences: Changes over time and relationship to transpersonal self-concept. Journal of Near-Death Studies 2010
- The Near-Death Experience: Knowledge and Attitudes of College Students Journal of Near-Death Studies June 1, 2001