Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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Nine-in-ten Americans say they celebrate Christmas, and three-quarters say they believe in the virgin birth of Jesus. But only about half see Christmas mostly as a religious holiday, while one-third view it as more of a cultural holiday.
Washington, D.C., Dec. 30, 2013 — Six-in-ten Americans (60%) say that “humans and other living things have evolved over time,” while a third (33%) reject the idea of evolution, saying that “humans and other living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time,” according to a new Pew Research Center analysis. […]
In addition to asking about people’s preferences for their own end-of-life medical treatment, the Pew Research survey included a more general question to gauge views on the issue. In this question, respondents were asked whether there are any circumstances in which medical staff should allow a patient to die or whether doctors and nurses should […]
Survey Report President Obama’s speech on Friday outlining changes to the National Security Agency’s collection of telephone and internet data did not register widely with the public. Half say they have heard nothing at all about his proposed changes to the NSA, and another 41% say they heard only a little bit. Even among those […]
The Pew Research survey finds some ambivalence in public views about proxy decision-making – that is, decisions made by someone other than the patient – in end-of-life treatment matters. On the one hand, a clear majority supports the idea of allowing a close family member to decide whether or not to continue medical treatment when […]
Views about physician-assisted suicide are, as expected, tied more broadly to beliefs about the morality of suicide. Such beliefs tend to vary depending on the circumstances considered. About six-in-ten adults (62%) believe a person has a moral right to end their own life if they are suffering great pain and have no hope of improvement. […]