Aging and the right to terminate medical treatment

Belief in the right of patient and/or family to terminate medical care in the case of irreversible terminal illness is analyzed by age level, education, health, and attitudes to patient rights in general. The issue of terminating treatment has become important as the result of new technologies which permit continuance of bodily functions by mechanical means; stopping care involves confrontation with the norm of maintaining life at all costs. Although age is related to support of the right to halt treatment, with those over 65 least likely to agree, the style of relation to professional care in general has more explanatory power.