CBS News "60 Minutes" Poll, November 1998

This special topic poll, fielded November 23-24, 1998, covered the topic of assisted suicide. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of Michigan doctor Jack Kevorkian and his practice of assisting in the suicide of terminally ill patients. Those queried were asked if they had watched the November 22, 1998, "60 Minutes" broadcast of Kevorkian's injecting Thomas Youk, who had Lou Gehrig's disease, with lethal doses of drugs, which ended his life. Their views were sought on doctor-assisted suicide, whether the televising of this activity would affect their decision to watch future episodes of "60 Minutes", and whether this broadcast had helped or hurt the assisted suicide cause. Respondents were asked whether they believed that Kevorkian should be charged with murder or another criminal offense for his actions, whether any doctor who helps a patient die should be charged with murder, whether the respondent would consider doctor-assisted suicide if he or she became terminally ill, and whether the respondent would assist a family member or a friend in a similar situation. The results of the survey were announced on the CBS television program "60 Minutes". Background information on respondents includes age, sex, race, Hispanic descent, education, religion, political party, political orientation, and family income.