Korean J Adult Nurs.  2011 Oct;23(5):482-493.

The Impact of Death Anxiety and Personal Meanings of Death on the Attitude of Dignified Death among Korean Mid-life and the Elderly: Mediating Effect of Family Communication Process

• Jo KH
• Lee HJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to compare and identify the mediating effect of family communication in the impact of death anxiety and personal meanings of death on the attitude of dignified death near the end-of-life among Korean mid-life and old people.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 287 mid-life and old people in Seoul, Busan, and Daegu City. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires which were standardized instruments from November 2010 to March 2011. Data were analyzed by using SPSS/WIN 14.
RESULTS
The results of the study indicated that there were statistically significant differences in level of death anxiety, personal meaning of death, and the dignified death between mid-age and old-age people. In addition, family communication had full mediating effects among the mid-age, while it had partial mediating effects among the old-age in the relationships between death anxiety, personal meaning of death, and the attitude of dignified death.
CONCLUSION
Based on the findings of the study, implications for the intervention of the dignified death and preferences for care near the end-of-life among mid-life and old people and recommendations of further study were provided.

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Negotiating
Surveys and Questionnaires