• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.86-96
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of study was to provide basic data for developing interventions that could help middle-aged adults prepare for dignified death in the future by examining their attitudes toward death and advance directives (AD), and knowledge of AD. Methods: Data were collected through a survey of 211 middle-aged adults from January 28 to February 28, 2019, in a city located in Gangwon Province. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise linear regression were utilized using SPSS/WINdows 21.0. Results: The average score of the participants' attitudes toward death and AD, and knowledge of AD was 91.82±10.89, 15.53±4.27, 46.00±9.45, respectively. There were positive correlations between attitudes toward dignified death and attitudes toward AD, and knowledge of AD. Factors that influence attitudes toward AD were shown in the order of attitudes toward dignified death, knowledge of AD, and intentions to write AD (Adjusted R²=.24). Conclusion: For the dignified death in the future, it is necessary to provide middle-aged adults with an opportunity to think about the need of AD. In addition, extensive education and promotion of AD are required to correct the misunderstanding of AD.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.49-56
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• 2022

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the factors affecting the attitudes toward brain death organ donation among nurses and doctors in an operating room. Methods: A descriptive research was used. The participants included 90 nurses and 30 doctors who had experience of operating organ transplantation for brain death organ donation. Data were collected from March 12 to May 23, 2020 in the one tertiary general hospital. The outcome measures were perception and attitude of death and attitude towards brain death organ donation. Results: Attitudes toward brain death organ donation was influenced by type of occupation, intention of organ donation and attitude toward death. In addition, the explanatory power of the total variance was 52.1%. Conclusions: Based on the results, it is necessary to prepare an intervention to improve awareness of the brain death and the brain death organ donation.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.80-94
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to identify attitudes toward advance directives (ADs) among female cancer patients and factors related to ADs. Methods: The study was conducted at a university hospital in Seoul from September 19, 2020, to January 20, 2021. The participants were 153 patients diagnosed with gynecological cancer or breast cancer. Data were collected using questionnaires and included general characteristics, disease- and AD-related characteristics, knowledge and attitudes about ADs, and attitudes about dignified death. Data were analyzed using the t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Only 2% of the participants completed ADs. The mean score for attitudes toward ADs was 3.30, indicating a positive knowledge and attitude toward dignified death. The factors related to attitudes toward ADs were attitudes toward dignified death (𝛽=0.25, P=0.001), experience discussing life-sustaining treatment (𝛽=0.17, P=0.037), preferred time to have a consultation about ADs (𝛽=0.19, P=0.046), intention to write ADs (𝛽=0.15, P=0.038), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (𝛽=-0.37, P<0.001). The explanatory power of these variables for attitudes toward ADs was 38.5%. Conclusion: Overall, patients preferred to have a consultation about ADs when they were still active, mentally healthy, and able to make decisions. Education about ADs should be provided to patients on the first day of hospitalization for chemotherapy or while awaiting treatment in an outpatient setting so patients can write ADs and discuss them with family and friends.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2024

Purpose: Advance directives (ADs) are legal documents that outline a person's preferences or decisions regarding end-of-life care ahead of time. In Korea, there is insufficient awareness and knowledge about ADs among patients undergoing hemodialysis. This study explored the relationship between perceptions of a good death, knowledge about ADs, and attitudes toward ADs in this patient population. Methods: This cross-sectional survey enrolled 119 hemodialysis patients from a secondary hospital in 2021. The participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using the t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, Spearman rank correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The average score for perceptions of a good death among hemodialysis patients was 2.80 out of 4, with clinical symptoms identified as the most critical factor. The average scores for knowledge about ADs and attitudes toward ADs were 5.69 out of 9 and 2.79 out of 4, respectively. There was a positive correlation between perceptions of a good death and attitudes toward ADs (r=0.34, P<0.001), as well as between knowledge about Ads and attitudes toward ADs (r=0.19, P=0.037). Factors influencing attitudes toward Ads included employment status (β=0.22, P=0.011), education level (β=0.22, P=0.013), and perceptions of a good death (β=0.29, P=0.001), which accounted for 24.8% of the variance in attitudes toward ADs. Conclusion: A positive perception of a good death among patients undergoing hemodialysis was associated with a positive attitude toward ADs. Educational programs are needed to improve individuals' understanding of a good death and encourage the development of end-of-life care plans.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.90-99
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influences of emotional intelligence and attitudes about death on hospice volunteers' perception of life as meaningful. Methods: In this study, 232 hospice volunteers who were serving at 3 university hospitals and 7 general hospitals for 6 months or longer. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from January 20 to February 15, 2016. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-tests, one way ANOVAs, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analyses with SPSS 21.0. Results: Hospice volunteers' perception of life as meaningful was positively correlated with their attitudes toward death and emotional intelligence. The significant predictors of perception of meaning were emotional intelligence, attitudes toward death, religion and perceived health status. These variables explained 41.0% of the variance in hospice volunteers' perception of life as meaningful. Conclusion: These results suggest that hospice volunteers perceptions of life as meaningful can be changed positively by increasing emotional intelligence and positive attitudes about death.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of awareness of good death and end-of-life care attitudes on end-of-life care performance in long-term care hospital nurses. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional study design. The participants were 147 nurses working at six long-term care hospitals with more than 200 beds in B city, South Korea. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires, and analyzed with descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple stepwise regression analysis using IBM/SPSS 26.0 for Windows. Results: The participants' awareness of good death, end-of-life care attitudes, and end-of-life care performance were positively correlated. The factors affecting end-of-life care performance were age, education level, awareness of good death, and end-of-life care attitudes; these variables explained 19.0% of end-of-life care performance. Conclusion: In order to improve long term care hospital nurses' end-of-life care performance, continuing education and training should be provided regarding awareness of good death and end-of-life care attitudes.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.218-227
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• 2024

Purpose: This study investigated the factors influencing attitudes toward end-of-life care among nurses at a tertiary hospital in Korea. Specifically, it examined the roles of nurses' characteristics, death perceptions, terminal care stress, and life satisfaction. Methods: The participants included 150 nurses working at a tertiary hospital, who were recruited between August 15 and September 19, 2023. Data were collected through an online survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis with SPSS/WIN 28.0. Results: Nurses' attitudes toward end-of-life care were positively correlated with death perceptions (β = .28, p < .001), 3 years or more of clinical experience (β = .25, p = .001), the experience of an acquaintance death (β = .22, p = .002) and life satisfaction (β = .20, p = .004). These variables explained 34.0% of the total variance in attitudes toward end-of-life care. Conclusion: It is essential to develop and implement individualized end-of-life nursing education programs, particularly utilizing simulations, for nurses with limited clinical experience and low levels of death perceptions. Further research should explore attitudes toward end-of-life care among various healthcare providers with a broader regional scope to improve the overall quality of end-of-life care.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.829-841
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze death attitudes of students majoring In the human service area, such as nursing science, education, and social welfare. Method: The Q-methodology which provides a method of analyzing the subjectivity of each item was used, The 38 selected Q-statements from each of 42 subjects were classified into a shape of normal distribution using a 9 point scale. The collected data was analyzed using a QUANL PC program. Result: Four types of death attitudes for research subjects in nursing, education, and social welfare areas were identified. Type I is fatalistic admission, Type II is pursuit of existential life, Type III is uncertainty of life after death, and Type IV is separation-connection between life and death. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that different approaches of death educational programs are recommended based on the four types of death attitudes.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.89-102
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• 1990

The research is a comparative study of death attitudes between male and female elderly people. There is no doubt as to the inevitability of death. And yet, there is a vast conspiracy involved in the word of dead or death. The aged are considered to be nearer death than are people in other age groups. Kalish(1976) emphasized that for the aged two meanings of death have significance for evaluating their life ; first, that older people are known to have a limited life time and face death ; second that older people are known to have suffered many death-imposed losses that are often associated with the dying process. In considering these implications, the level of anxiety regarding death and dying is a crucial factor in determining mental health. In the study, 152 male elderly and 145 female elderly residing in Seoul, Korea was compared on the four dimensions of death anxiety and assigned personal variables. Therefore, the purpose the research was (1) to examine the characteristics of subjects on the independent variables(age, marital status, family relationship, social activities, religiousity etc.) ; (2) to examine the relationship between the independent variables and each dimension of death axniety ; (3) to determine the proportion of variance in the respective of death anxiety which is accounted for by the respective independent variables ; (4) to examine whether a significant difference between the respective independent variables and each dimension of death anxiety has ; (5) to determine the combination of variables which is the most successful in explaining the variance in death anxiety. Finding from this study support the following conclusions; 1. There was a significant differences between the male and female subjects in the level of death anxiety. In turn, the male older adults had lower death anxiety than did the female elderly. This implies that male tend to look forward to death rather than deny it. 2. As there was evidences from several studies, this research found that fear of death decreases as age increases. 3. The following two variables that correlate best with dying anxiety of others in both male and female older adults : 'marriage life', 'social interaction'. 4. The variables 'age' and 'children' for both female and male elderly accounted for the most variance in death anxiety of self. The findings of the study lend this investigator several suggestions, implications and recommendations for future research. There can be no death without life, and conversely, no life without death. Psychologists and health-related professionals may be learn as much about death as they can in order to develop more healthy attitudes and in order to be able to better aid and comfort dying people and their familities. Perhaps most importantly, professionals may be help those who are not faced with death at present to develop an understanding of it and healthy attitudes toward it. The programs of death education are needed for dedication to the evitability of death and the preparation of life for the older adults. More seminars, symposiums and research on death attitudes are needed. Finally, study for female older adults has been negelected topic in the areas of women's study and health education. Future study, for female elderly, have to deeply investigate where those problems come from and how to cope with in order to the female elderly segment can live the rest of their lives in satisfaction with well-being.