Death poll findings, by questions

The following are selected findings from a survey of 946 adult residents of the United States interviewed by telephone Feb. 16 through March 11, 2009 by the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University. Scripps Howard News Service designed the survey under a grant from the Scripps Howard Foundation.

Here are some questions about whether you think America does a good job investigating how and why people die. A cause of death is listed on all death certificates in the United States. Give me your best guess on how often doctors and medical examiners find the true and correct reason why people die. Do they always find the correct cause of death, usually find it, only sometimes find it, rarely find it or never find the true cause of death?

Always .............................. 3 percent

Usually ............................ 59

Only Sometimes ..................... 28

Rarely .............................. 5

Never ............................... 1

Don't Know/Other Response ........... 4

Do you personally know someone who has died for whom you think or at least suspect that the official cause of death was wrong?

Yes ............................... 26

No ................................. 71

Don't Know/Other Response ........... 3

In many places in America, coroners are elected officials who often have little or no medical training. They will decide if a doctor should be hired to make an investigation into the cause of death. Do you think it is acceptable for coroners to be elected with little medical training or is it not acceptable?

Acceptable ......................... 11

Not Acceptable ..................... 84

Don't Know/Other Response ........... 5

There currently are no federal standards over what should be involved when doctors conduct an autopsy into the cause of death. Members of Congress are considering creating such standards so coroners and medical examiners will know what they are expected to do. Do you think setting standards for autopsies is a good idea or a bad idea?

Good Idea .......................... 79

Bad Idea ........................... 14

Don't Know/Other Response ........... 7

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)

With DEATH-POLL