Background: Personal mission in life can determine the motivation, happiness, career advancement and fulfilment in life of the medical students (MSs) along with improvement in professional/clinical performance of the family physicians. This study explored the personal beliefs, values and goals in the lives of MSs and general practitioners (GPs). Methods: Fourth-year MSs at the Universiti Putra Malaysia and GPs who participated in a 2-hour session on ‘Ethics in Family Medicine’ in 2012 were invited. All the participants submitted the post-session written reflections about their personal missions in life. The written reflections were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: A total of 87 MSs and 31 GPs submitted their written reflections. The authors identified 17 categories from the reflections contained by four themes—good vs. smart doctor, professional improvement vs. self-improvement, self-fulfilment and expressed motivation. The most common categories were “to be a good doctor” (97/330) and “professional improvement”(65/330). Many MSs had expressed motivation and wanted to be a smart doctor as compared to the GPs, whereas a larger number of GPs wished to have a fulfilled life and be a good doctor through professional improvement. Conclusion: The difference between the two student groups might indicate different levels of maturity and life experiences. Medical teachers should engage students more effectively in orientating them towards the essential values needed in medical practice.
Goals ; Value of Life ; Students, Medical

Cause of Death ; Humans ; Life Expectancy ; Mathematics ; Quality of Life ; Value of Life

PURPOSE: This study was to identify the attitude of Korean HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) -positive men toward death. METHODS: A Q-methodology was performed with 20 HIV-positive male individuals. Participants were asked to select and answer questions among a set of 40 Q-statements using a 9-point scale. The collected data were analyzed using the PC QUANL program. RESULTS: Participants' attitudes toward death were categorized into four types. Type I was characterized by respect for life, type II by reality orientation, type III by pain evasion and type IV religious beliefs. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to develop an assessment tool and an intervention program for HIV-positive individuals.
HIV ; Humans ; Male ; Religion ; Value of Life

PURPOSE: This study was done to provide basic data for education of elementary school students on life-respect and peer bullying prevention. METHODS: Participants were 5th and 6th grade elementary school students. Data from the questionnaires of 218 participants were analyzed. RESULTS: 1) The mean score for degree of life-respect was 4.23 (+/-0.38). The types of peer bullying were 'defenders of victims' (3.19+/-0.93), 'bullies' (2.04+/-0.72), 'victims' (1.91+/-0.84), 'bystanders' (1.79+/-0.80), and 'bully-followers' (1.66+/-0.60). 2) There was a significant difference in the degree of life-respect according to gender (t=-2.410, p=.017). Likewise, in the degree of peer bullying, among the type of 'bullies' there were significant differences according to grade (t=-2.285, p=.004), and gender (t=3.191, p=.002). Also, among the types of 'bully-followers' there were significant differences according to gender (t=2.053, p=.041), and having a religion or not (t=3.319, p=.001). 3) There was a significant correlation between life-respect and types of peer bullying. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide helps for more effective provision of educational programs regarding life-respect and peer bullying.
Bullying* ; Child ; Education ; Humans ; Peer Group ; Value of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study aims to determine the bioethical subjectivity of nursing students with experience volunteering in elderly care facilities, and the characteristics that comprise the types thereof. METHODS: Q methodology, which analyzes the subjectivity of each type, was used. The 37 selected Q statements from 32 participants were classified into the shape of a normal distribution using a 9-point scale. The collected data were analyzed using the PC-QUANL program. RESULTS: The survey revealed that the bioethical subjectivity of nursing students with experience volunteering in elderly care facilities can be divided into three types: a rational dignity emphasis, an autonomous right to life belief, and conflict avoidance. All three attitudes regard human beings as possessing dignity, and life and death as elements to be experienced as aspects of human life. Bioethical values are critical to treatment and care; however, it is sometimes also held that humans have the right to commit suicide. CONCLUSION: This study enhanced our awareness of nursing students' bioethics. The findings can be used as a basis for the design of differentiated bioethics education according to each type of bioethical subjectivity. This calls for diverse research on bioethics and the implementation of effective bioethics education.
Aged ; Bioethics ; Education ; Humans ; Nursing ; Students, Nursing ; Suicide ; Value of Life

PURPOSE: This study has been designed to identify attitudes to euthanasia held by Korean nurses. METHOD: Data were collected through a survey, and the participants in the study were 234 Korean nurses. Convenience sampling method was used and analysis of the data was done with SPSS PC for descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA. RESULTS: 1. The mean score for euthanasia was 2.80, and the sub dimension mean scores were, patients' rights, 3.24, quality of life, 2.78, respect for life, 2.68, medical ethics, 2.50. 2. With respect to the general characteristics of participants there were statistically significant difference in total score according to religion (P=.01), and degree of influence of religion on behavior (P=.00). 3. There were statistically significant difference in score of quality of life according to religion (P=.04), degree of influence of religion on behavior (P=.00), decisions in euthanasia (P=0.04), and legal permission (P=.04). 4. There was statistically significant difference in score of patient's right according to legal permission (P=.04). 5. There were statistically significant difference in the score of respect for life according to religion (P=.00), degree of influence of religion on behavior (P=.00), decision in euthnasia (P=.00), and legal permission (P=.00).
Ethics, Medical ; Euthanasia ; Euthanasia, Passive* ; Patient Rights ; Quality of Life ; Value of Life

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Due to recent changes in social structure, single-person households are on the rise worldwide and therefore the interest in the quality of life of singles is increasing, but the research on the relationships related to their diet-related quality of life is scarce. This research analyzes the structural relations in the effect of convenience food satisfaction and quality of life according to dietary style of Korean, Japanese and Chinese singles. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The targets of this study were Korean, Japanese, and Chinese singles, identified as adults between the ages of 25 and 54, having economic capabilities or working and living alone, either legally or in actuality having no partner. A statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS12.0 for Windows and SEM using AMOS 5.0 statistics package. The reliability of these findings was supported by a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.6 and higher for all the factors. In an attempt to study the level of satisfaction with convenience food in accordance to dietary style and the quality of life of singles, a structural equation model was constructed and analyzed. RESULTS: Of the three countries, regarding the effect of dietary style on singles' quality of life, the convenience-oriented style was found to have a negative effect on Korean singles' overall quality of life, but a positive effect on Japanese singles' overall quality of life, and a negative effect on Chinese singles' positive psychological aspect of quality of life. In addition, although Chinese singles have a high level of interest in health, they have an overall high level of satisfaction regarding fast food and its nutritional value. CONCLUSIONS: The number of singles in Korea, Japan, and China has been consistently increasing in recent years, and there is a need for continuous interest in their healthy dietary lifestyles in terms of convenience, economy, and taste.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China* ; Family Characteristics ; Fast Foods* ; Humans ; Japan* ; Korea ; Life Style ; Nutritive Value ; Quality of Life*

BACKGROUND: The SF-6D, derived from the SF-36, is a preference-based instrument measuring health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Using this tool, we measured the HRQOL of persons disabled by stroke dwelling in Gyeongju city and identified factors affecting the HRQOL. METHODS: As of March 2008, 991 persons who had had a stroke and were aged 50 and over were identified on the Gyeongju city disabled registry. Interviewers specifically trained for this face-to-face survey gathered pertinent information including general and clinical characteristics from June to October 2008. In addition, the health status was measured using the Modified Rankin Scale, the Barthel ADL index, and the SF-36. The SF-6D index was derived from the SF-36. We analyzed the known-group construct validity and convergent validity. Finally, we performed multiple regression analyses to identify factors affecting the HRQOL. RESULTS: Of the 991 potential subjects, 498 persons participated in the interviews (response rate: 50.3%). The SF-6D indices for females and those aged 70 and over were lower than indices for males and those aged 60 and less. Correlation coefficients between the Modified Rankin Scale, the Barthel index, and the SF-6D index were relatively high (-0.533 and 0.555, respectively) and statistically significant (P<0.001). Multiple regression analyses showed that sex, age, smoking, alcohol use, comorbidity, the Modified Rankin Scale, and the Barthel index had an effect on the SF-6D index of persons with stroke, and the Barthel index was the most important factor. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the SF-6D can be a valid tool for evaluating health states of persons disabled by stroke, and functional limitation was the main factor affecting the HRQOL.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Comorbidity ; Disabled Persons ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Quality of Life ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Stroke ; Value of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the perceptions and attitudes of nurses toward euthanasia. METHOD: In this descriptive study, data were collected from 485 nurses using a self-report questionnaire. The attitudes toward euthanasia scales were composed of four sub dimensions; quality of life, client's right, respect for life and medical ethics. The data were analyzed with descriptive and parametric statistics using SPSS WIN program. RESULTS: Of the nurses, 84.7% were in agreement with constituting a law for euthanasia and 57.6% accepted passive euthanasia. Further, 80.1% would accept euthanasia for their own end-of-life situation. The most frequent reason for pro euthanasia was pain relief, and for con, respect for life. The mean attitude score was 54.64 and that of sub dimensions were 2.81 for quality of life, 3.21 for client's right, 2.87 for respect for life, and 2.84 for medical ethics. The nurses who were positive in their thinking about euthanasia had higher attitude scores. Among general characteristics of the nurses, attitudes scores were significantly different according to religion. CONCLUSION: Although many nurses had a positive concept of euthanasia, they still have ethical dilemmas in life-sustaining care. Therefore training programs on moral rights are necessary to provide guidelines for end-of-life care.
Education ; Ethics, Medical ; Euthanasia* ; Euthanasia, Passive ; Human Rights ; Jurisprudence ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thinking ; Value of Life ; Weights and Measures

The decision to withdrawal of life-sustaining management for dying patients is one of the most difficult challenges in modern medical ethics. Due to the advances in medical science and technology, terminally ill patients can survive longer than ever expected before. More specifically, artificial ventilation, nutrition, and recently developed drugs constitute the cores of life -sustaining management for dying patients. The issues of patients' autonomy, medical paternalism and sanctity of life are related with this particular problem. Korean Supreme Court recently approved the request of a permanent vegetative status patients' family to terminate the artificial ventilation and allow the patient to die. Korean Medical Association is currently seeking to establish the guideline. Korean government and parliament are also looking for a way to enact the law. However, religious sector including Catholic Church and a significant proportion of the population have opposed the legalization of euthanasia. A careful study in other countries' legislations related to the care for dying patients would help to establish the consensus in the nation.
Advance Directives ; Consensus ; Ethics, Medical ; Euthanasia ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Paternalism ; Right to Die ; Terminally Ill ; Value of Life ; Ventilation