Stevenson, I., Cook, E. W., & McClean-Rice, N. (1989-1990). Are persons reporting 'near-death experiences' really near death? A study of medical records. Omega, 20(1) 45-54.
Abstract: In the cases of 107 patients who reported unusual experiences during an illness or injury, such as seeing their own body from a different position in space, medical records were obtained for forty patients. These were examined and rated according to the evidence they provided of grave, 1ife-threatening illness or injury. Eighteen patients (45%) were judged to have had serious, life-threatening illnesses or injuries, but twenty-two (55%) were rated as having had no life-threatening condition. Nevertheless, thirty-three (82.5%) of the patients believed that they had been 'dead' or near death. Deficiencies in the medical records may account for a few of the discrepancies between patients' reports and medical records. However, it seems likely that an important precipitator of the so-called near-death experience is the belief that one is dying-whether or not one is in fact close to death.
Copyright: © 1989. Reprinted with permission of Baywood Publishing Company, Inc.
Link: http://www.baywood.com/
Topics:
Characteristics of NDErs—Gender
Characteristics of NDEs—Autoscopy, Out-of-Body
Characteristics of NDEs—Encountering Beings, Deceased or Living
Characteristics of NDEs—Life Review
Characteristics of NDEs—Light, Mystical
Characteristics of NDEs—Tunnel Experiences
Circumstances of NDEs—Accident
Circumstances of NDEs—Hospital
Circumstances of NDEs—Illness
Circumstances of NDEs—Induced Chemically
Circumstances of NDEs—Suicide
Circumstances of NDEs NOS
Definition of NDEs
Explanations of NDEs—Physiological NOS
Explanations of NDEs—Psychological
Methodology in NDE Research
Nearing Death and NDEs NOS
Science and NDEs