Attitudes toward Age-Based Health Care Rationing

Assesses public views on age-based rationing of health care, by drawing on 5 focus group discussions (total N = 46 participants). Results indicate that respondents (Rs) are concerned about the high costs of health care, but few attribute these costs to overuse by older people. Rs reject the notion of specific policies limiting health care based on the age of the patient. Rs of all ages tend to reject the idea of paying for treatment to extend the life of the hopelessly ill when all beneficial treatment efforts have been attempted. Although expressing strong feelings about equality of opportunity for health care, Rs are ambivalent about the role that government should play to accomplish this goal. Differences in attitudes toward allocation of health care appear to be associated more with differences in socioeconomic status & political orientation than with differences in age of Rs. 1 Table, 41 References. Adapted from the source document.