Since death is an extremely subjective and unique experience, if we take into account the lack of understanding about death due to the difficulty in methodology, it is very important to try to understand the subjectivity of death. In this respect, Q-methodology that explains and shows the respondents' subjectivity by objectifying his subjectivity is employed as a solution to the questions in this study. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to provide data on how medical personnel should treat their patients, when, it comes to death ; by finding out the opinions of those who are being treated, namely the patients, and those who are providing the treatment, namely the medical personnel. It also by examined the characteristics and relationships between these two groups on attitudes to death. The results of this study show that medical personnel have two(fate-recipient, reality-oriented) types of response and patients have three(religion-dependent, science-adherent, sardonist) types. Medical personnel saw patients as having three(life-attached, traditionalist, death-rejector) types of response and to patients saw medical personnel as having two(rationalist, humanist)types. The relationship between the above-mentioned types will be examined in a coorientation model, the subjectivity of the medical personnel and the patient toward death indicates a relatively high understanding between the two groups under the great proposition of 'death'. Therefore, in their relationship with people who are facing death, the provider of care, namely the medical personnel, should identify the subjectivity of the patient before approaching them. By doing this, they can minimize the conflicts they might experience in establishing a therapeutic relationship, reduce suffering, and help the patient in greeting a more comfortable death. Throughout the study, Q-methodology expands out understanding of coorientation model that has only been approached with R-methodology. This study confirmed Q's potentiality and its validity in human subjective matters.
Attitude to Death ; Humans

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate perception of good death among the community-dwelling elderly and identify factors related to the perception. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was carried out using a convenient sampling method (N=317). Data were analyzed by applying descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe's test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Participants scored an average of 3.35 on a 4-point scale for the perception level of good death. They scored higher on the factor of personal control that other factors affecting the perception. Good death was positively correlated with family support (r=0.252). Family support (beta=0.287) and gender (beta=0.197) significantly influenced the elderly's perception of good death. These variables accounted for 10.2% of the total variance. CONCLUSION: The results show that family support is an important factor for the perception of good death among the elderly. Therefore, family support should be carefully considered to ensure good death for more senior citizens. Our findings can be utilized to support programs such as death education for the elderly.
Aged* ; Attitude to Death ; Education ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires

How people perceive risk influences their behaviour towards these risks. We do not know how workers perceive risk of dying from diseases or accidents. This study was conducted among 198 workers of a security company in Malaysia. The workers were asked to score on a Likert scale of 1 to 5 the perceived risk of death of Malaysians from selected causes of death. The highest perceived risks of death were, in order of ranking, motor vehicle accidents, cancer and diabetes mellitus whereas according to the certified causes of death in Malaysia the highest risks of death among the selected items were cardiovascular disease, cancer and stroke. The difference in perception and mortality data needs be addressed.
*Attitude ; *Cause of Death ; Malaysia ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between attitudes toward the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, death anxiety and death acceptance among hospitalized cancer patients who were at least 65 years old. METHODS: This study adopted a descriptive study design. Data were collected from 128 patients diagnosed with cancer. The instruments used were the Attitudes toward Life-sustaining Treatment Scale, Death Anxiety Scale and modified versions of the Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R) questionnaire. RESULTS: The mean score for the subjects' attitudes toward the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment was 3.48±0.50 out of 5. Death anxiety was reported at 2.53±0.54 out of 4. Death acceptance was reported at 4.10±1.20 out of 7. There was a significant negative correlation between the subjects' attitudes toward the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and death anxiety (r=−.21, p=.018), however there was no statistically significant correlation between the subjects' attitude towards the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment and death acceptance (r=−.07, p=.462) CONCLUSION: The more positive elderly cancer patients are about the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, the lower their death anxiety is. This finding can help nurses with patient care towards the end of life by considering the relationship between death anxiety and their attitudes toward the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment.
Aged ; Anxiety ; Attitude to Death ; Humans ; Patient Care

As primary care physicians, we diagnose and give the appropriate cure for every disease; but as family medicine specialists, we are best at doing more. We treat not only the disease but also identify the biopsychosocial needs of the patients and their families, highlighting family functions and psychodynamics through the course of an illness. One of the challenging aspects is providing care for a terminally ill elderly patient. We cannot avoid the initial experience of equating cancer with death, evoking anxiety and depression to the patient and the family. In these circumstances, our specialty plays a greater role in providing understanding, guidance and support in the multidimensional realms of end-of-life. It is through physical, psychosocial and spiritual preparedness that one is able to respond and accept death as a reality. This family case management report aims to present the biomedical and psychosocial care to a dying patient and her family. Specifically, it aims to: a) determine the needs of the cancer patient using the biopsychosocial model, b) analyze the family psychodynamics, impact of illness, and their functional adaptation to unexpected changes using the S-T-F-R-E-D system, c) discuss the terminal phase and quality of death of the patient using the hospice care approach and d) define, review, and present bereavement and bereavement care rendered to the family.
Human ; Female ; Aged ; Attitude To Death ; Death ; Patient Care Planning ; Family

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze and clarify the ambiguous concept of DNR, and to distinguish between DNR and euthanasia. METHOD: This study used the process of Walker & Avant's concept analysis. RESULT: The definable attributes of DNR were care for comfort, no further treatment and no CPR. The antecedents of DNR were the autonomy of patients and families feelings about death, the uselessness of treatment and the right to die with dignity. The process of the DNR decision should be documented and the antecedents of DNR also can be a basis for objective standards of DNR decision-making. The result of DNR was the acceptance of death by patients and families. CONCLUSION: DNR is decided and documented by the antecedents of DNR, and the result is a natural acceptance of death, the last process of human life. Hospice care should be activated and nurses must be patient's advocates and families' supporters in the process.
*Attitude to Death ; Decision Making ; Family ; Hospice Care ; Humans ; *Resuscitation Orders

PURPOSE: We conducted a descriptive correlational study to determine a relationship between nurses' awareness of good death and attitudes toward terminal care, which in turn could be used as basic data for improvement of the quality of terminal care at geriatric hospitals. METHODS: From April 3, 2013 through April 22, 2013, data were collected from 230 nurses working at geriatric hospitals. RESULTS: Nurses' attitudes toward terminal care showed no significant correlation with awareness of good death, but it was positively correlated with a sense of closeness, a subfactor of awareness of good death. There was negative correlation between emotions regarding a deathbed, a subfactor of attitudes of nurses in charge of terminal patients, and awareness of good death. We found positive correlation between terminal care performance and awareness of good death. CONCLUSION: This study warrants the need for nursing education catered to characteristics of geriatric hospitals and development of diverse intervention strategies to help them to attain a positive attitude toward death by familiarizing themselves with the concept of good death and enhancing job satisfaction.
Attitude to Death ; Education, Nursing ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Terminal Care*

PURPOSE: This descriptive study was aimed at identifying the relations among geriatric nurses' terminal care performance, death anxiety and self-esteem and the factors that affect nurses' terminal care stress. METHODS: Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire completed by 212 geriatric hospital nurses working in 10 hospitals in K city and B metropolitan city. RESULTS: The survey results showed that the stress factors were terminal care performance and death anxiety. Significant predictors for terminal care stress were death anxiety and terminal care performance. (And the higher the level of death anxiety and terminal care performance were, the heavier the stress was.) These factors explained 32.5% of the variance in terminal care stress. CONCLUSION: The results of the study suggested that terminal care performance was an important factor of terminal care stress for geriatric nurses. Therefore, it seems that it is necessary to develop an educational intervention program to improve nurses' terminal care performance to reduce their terminal care stress.
Anxiety* ; Attitude to Death ; Self Concept ; Stress, Psychological ; Terminal Care*

PURPOSE: This study was to examine attitude to death and life satisfaction between groups of elderly people with and without cancer. METHODS: This study used a descriptive research design. Data were collected from January to March 2013. Participants were 66 elderly without cancer and 65 elderly with cancer. A questionnaire was used to collect data. RESULTS: The attitude to death of participants was relatively positive and the degree of life satisfaction was medium or greater. There was no significant difference in attitude to death between the groups with and without cancer. However, the score for the life satisfaction of the group without cancer was significantly higher than that of the group with cancer. Attitude to death was significantly different according to sex, living together with family, and intention to prepare for death. Life satisfaction was significantly different according to gender and religion. The correlation between attitude to death and life satisfaction was not significant in both groups. CONCLUSION: As a result of this study the elderly had a generally positive attitude to death and were satisfied with their lives. Cancer influenced elderly people's life satisfaction, not their attitude towards death. To improve life satisfaction for elderly people with cancer, we need to research which factors could be important.
Aged* ; Attitude to Death* ; Humans ; Intention ; Research Design ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To improve the family functioning, fear of death and depression among the terminally ill cancer patients, the effects of letter as an independent nursing intervention were identified. METHODS: Non-equivalent control group pre and post test design was used. Subjects were 60 patients and their family members who were hospitalized at hospice units of an university-affiliated hospital. Patients and their family members were encouraged to write a letter to each other at least 4 times for 2 weeks. RESULTS: Family functioning, fear of death and depression in the experimental group were significantly more improved after intervention than those of control group, even depression of experimental group before intervention was worse than that of control group. CONCLUSION: Writing a letter to family members is worth to use as an independent nursing intervention for terminally ill patients. It is recommended that further study to identify the potential of letters as an independent nursing intervention is implemented for various patients.
Attitude to Death ; Depression* ; Hospices ; Humans ; Nursing ; Terminally Ill* ; Writing