• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.129-140
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to identify attitude of hospital nurse's on death with dignity. The subjects of the study were 516 nurses. The data was analyzed by SPSS PC 19.0 program. 1) 82.8% participants agree to death with dignity, and they and their family will ask death with dignity in actual situations. 2) The average score of overall attitude on death with dignity was $3.13{\pm}0.52$. 3) With respect to the general characteristics of participants there were statistically significant difference in total score according to age, Marital Status, education level, religion, career, position, and existence of patients with incurable disease around. 4) With respect to the death with dignity related characteristics of participants there were statistically significant difference in total score according to agreement to death with dignity, request to my death with dignity, in case my family member requests death with dignity. Although many nurses had a positive concept of death with dignity, they still have ethical dilemmas in life-sustaining care. Therefore training programs on moral rights are necessary to provide guidelines foe end-of-life care.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.145-148
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• 2023

Preserving dignity is a significant concern for individuals approaching the end of their lives, as they face an increasing number of conditions that can potentially compromise their dignity. This article discusses dignity therapy as one intervention method aimed at enhancing the psychological and spiritual well-being of patients with terminal illnesses. Dignity therapy is an empirically supported therapeutic intervention that interviews patients with nine questions about what is important to them and what they want to remember, culminating in the production of a document based on these conversations. This intervention serves as a valuable tool and framework, enabling clinical professionals to reflect on dignity. It also provides clinicians with a medium to connect with patients on a deeply human level.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.81-90
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify nurses' perceptions on the older adult's dignity, and identify the risk factors that threaten older adult dignity and nurses' experiences of ethically difficult care in nursing homes. Method: Qualitative content analysis was done using an analysis scheme developed by the investigators. The data were collected from 51 nurses in 10 different nursing homes, who have agreed this study. Using a self-completion questionnaire was developed by the authors. The questionnaire which consisted of 3 items about dignity definitions, risk factors, and experiences on ethical dilemma. Results: The scheme consisted of 14 categories and 33 subcategories of the 261 significant statements. The categories of the dignity perception analyzed were respect, social right and equality. The categories of risk factors analyzed were loss of control, abuse, physical restraint, invasion of privacy, decision limitation and staff qualification. The categories of dignity experiences were abuse, physical restraint, invasion of privacy, staff qualification and decision limitation. Conclusions: This study may suggests interpretation for compromised older adult's dignity and provides data to use in the development of the useful guidelines and educational programs for the nurses in nursing homes.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.119-129
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to examine paramedic students' attitudes towards death with dignity and identify the factors that influence their attitudes toward death with dignity. Methods: The study was conducted with 288 paramedic students in Districts C and D from April 13 to May 4, 2024. The questionnaire was self-reported and collected by sending a URL to those who agreed to participate. Results: The mean scores for the variables were 3.03 for perception of death, 2.92 for awareness of biomedical ethics, and 3.16 for attitude toward death with dignity. Positive correlations were observed between the perception of death and awareness of biomedical ethics(r=.172, p=.004). Negative correlations were observed between the perception of death and attitudes toward death and dignity(r=-.289, p<.001). The factor that most influenced the attitude toward death with dignity was the perception of death(𝛽=-.219, p<.001). Conclusion: Biomedical ethics education suitable for the job is needed to promote a positive attitude toward death with dignity by promoting a positive perception of death and improving awareness of biomedical ethics.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.10
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• pp.304-317
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to research on attitudes toward legalization of death with dignity. The respondents are 561 adults aged 20 years old and over, living in Seoul and Kyunggi Province. Research questionnaire consist of 28 questions concerning general background, personal experiences of death, attitudes toward death, pros and cons on death with dignity and legalization. Statistical analyses employ frequency, mean, cross tab, and t-test. 87.3% of respondents agree the legalization of death with dignity. The persons who are older, self-employed, and production employees, get married, live with spouse, believe buddhism, experience care for the death, believe life after death, recognize the necessity of testament agree more on death with dignity. The first requisite for legalization of death with dignity is the standard of judgement concerning self decision on death with dignity. The decision makers are prioritized by self, family member in order. The necessary services for decisions on death with dignity are the mediation role between medical team and family, medical information about illness prognosis and prolongation, psychological counselling on depression.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.211-221
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• 2016

Purpose: Dignity therapy is a very effective intervention to improve the dignity of end-stage patients. A concept analysis by Walker and Avant (2005) was adopted to define, describe, and delimitate the concept of dignity therapy. Methods: Nursing literature in the National Digital Science Links (NDSL) and Medline database were searched for the definitions of "dignity" and "dignity therapy". Definitions, uses, and defining attributes of dignity therapy were identified; model and contrary cases were developed; and antecedents, consequences, and empirical references were determined. Results: Through dignity therapy patients and their families share their stories, and that in turn improves the quality of life and death. Five attributes were identified: higher quality of life and death, therapeutic conversation, respect of human dignity and worth, expressing thoughts about life and death and systematic process. Conclusion: Patients at the end of their lives feel more comfortable about death. Hospice care providers should try to protect dignity of patients in their care. The attributes of the dignity therapy clarified in this study should be applied for terminally ill patients to improve their quality of life and death.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.471-483
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was done to evaluate the effects of dignity interventions on depression, anxiety and meaning of life in terminally ill patients. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library CENTRAL, EMBASE, CINAHL and several Korean databases were searched. The main search strategy combined terms indicating dignity intervention, presence of terminal illness and study design. Methodological quality was assessed using Cochrane's Risk of Bias for randomized studies and Risk of Bias Assessment tool for non randomized studies. Data were analyzed by the RevMan 5.2.11 program of Cochrane Library. Results: Twelve clinical trials met the inclusion criteria with a total of 878 participants. Dignity intervention was conducted for a mean of 2.2 weeks, 2.8 sessions and an average of 48.7 minutes per session. Effect sizes were heterogeneous and subgroup analysis was done. Dignity interventions had a significant effect on depression (ES= -1.05, p<.001, $I^2$=15%) and anxiety (ES= -1.01, p<.001, $I^2$=0). For meaning of life, dignity interventions were effective (ES= -1.64, p=.005) and effect sizes were still heterogeneous. Conclusion: Results support findings that dignity interventions can assist terminal ill patients in reducing emotional distress and improving meaning of life. Further well-designed dignity studies will lead to better understanding of the effects of treatments on spiritual well-being.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5453-5458
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• 2015

Background: There are several factors that threaten the dignity of cancer patients in hospital settings. However, there is limited literature regarding the degree to which dignity of cancer patients is actually respected in daily clinical practice. The aims of this study were therefore to explore cancer patient perceptions of respecting their dignity and related variables in an Iranian cancer specific center. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-correlational study was carried out among 250 cancer patients admitted to a cancer specific center in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. These patients were selected using a convenience sampling method. The Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI) was used for data collection. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The patients' scores in 18 out of 25 items of PDI were 3 or greater which indicate the importance of considering these items in clinical settings. Also, the score of patients in three sub-scales of PDI including illness-related concerns, personal dignity, and social dignity were 74, 65 and 57, respectively (based on a total 100). The overall score of PDI was statistically associated with age, history of disease recurrence, education, employment and economic status of participants. Conclusions: According to the study findings the dignity of Iranian cancer patients is not completely respected in clinical settings which require special considerations. As nurses spend more time at patients' bedsides, they have an important role in maintaining and promoting dignified care.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-14
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was analyzed the factors of influencing toward attitude to death with dignity to hospice volunteers. The data was collected for 21 days from 14 March to 3 April 2010. Among a total of 220 cases of the questionaries, only 195 cases were used. To data were analyzed by factor analysis, independent t-test, one-way anova and logistic regression using PASW statistics 18.0. The results were as follows; The attitudes towards death with dignity according to general characteristics was high in those with will to agreed to the passive euthanasia than those opposite to the attitude factors, namely, acceptive, the right to decide, negative, and dereliction of duty attitude factors. Significant variables for effects of death with dignity were gender, acceptive attitude factor and dereliction of duty attitude factors. Given that main provider of human organs is the brain-dead and we don't have enough organ donation, death with dignity should be linked with activating policy of organ donation, while solving donation shortage problem. This way, constructing social implementation and sharing consciousness on organ donation, would be diluting the bio-ethic controversies.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.137-144
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the perception of dying with dignity and the quality of life based on the opinions of the Korean populations. The participants were selected using a stratified proportional allocation method and 1,000 adults aged between 19 and 74 years from 17 municipalities and provinces in Korea. The questionnaire consisted of 2 demographic items; 26 items on the quality of life scale; and 57 items on the perception of dying with dignity. The statistical methods used included frequency analyses, independent sample t-tests, and correlation analyses. The results showed that the quality of life was highest for the social life quality item, and that the participants who had experienced a death in the family were more likely to have statistically lower quality of life in physical, psychological, environmental, and social areas. In terms of the participants' perception on dying with dignity, the score for death preparation was the highest; specifically, the score for psychological/economic burden reduction was the highest. The quality of life of the participants showed a positive correlation in all aspects of the perception of dying with dignity: physical symptoms and control, death preparation, death environment, family and social relations, hospital treatment, psychological dignity, and spirituality. Other studies conducted with middle-aged populations showed that their quality of life was higher when they perceived the acceptance of death is important and were willing to participate in death preparation education. Therefore, in order to improve the quality of life and have a positive influence on the participants, educational programs on death preparation and dying with dignity considering all the areas of the perception of dying with dignity should be provided.