There is now a concerted effort with researchers of near-death states
to "set the record straight" as to percentages of occurrence. Most
surveys conducted by various magazines and organizations in the past
were not scientific or even reliable. The problem is ambiguous
questions which slant answers. The result: overestimates, that are
based more on wishful thinking than anything close to verifiable facts.
The poll used today, giving an estimate of 15 million near-death
experiencers in the United States (or 5% of the population), was
conducted by U. S. News & World Re****t in 1997. However, the figure
more in keeping with actual case re****tings in the United States,
Holland, and Germany is 4% (which makes 11 million in the U.S.). What
is of keen interest to researchers is that the 4% figure for general
populations is showing up in other countries worldwide. Because of
this, researchers are down-scaling the percentages they quote. Some
references: Random inquiry in Germany (Schmied, et al) conducted in
1999 and the original Gallup Poll done in 1982.
For those people who were near death, nearly died, or who did die but
later revived or were resuscitated, the estimate of one-third that was
previously used to indicate how many would have a near-death experience
is also over-inflated. The number is closer to between 12 to 20
percent. The real problem here, though, is with children.
There has never been any survey of any kind that addresses child
experiencers of near-death states. A given assumption in poll taking
is that an individual's near-death experience occurred in adulthood.
Preliminary work by Melvin Morse, M.D., a pediatrician in the State of
Wa****ngton, suggests that with child experiencers the figure is closer
to 70% - more than double that of adults. Since Morse's work has yet
to be duplicated, especially in other countries, no conclusions can yet
be drawn as to what this difference might mean.
It can be said that near-death cases are on the rise.
What cannot be said with any real degree of confidence is by how much.
. . . by P. M. H. Atwater, L.H.D., near-death researcher,
http://www.pmhatwater.com
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