Korean J Hosp Palliat Care.  2017 Jun;20(2):100-110. 10.14475/kjhpc.2017.20.2.100.

The Meaning of Dignified with Death

• Chung BY
• Cho YH

• KMID: 2380011
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14475/kjhpc.2017.20.2.100

Abstract

PURPOSE
We explored Koreans' perception of the meaning of death with dignity that Korean people.
METHODS
A phenomenological research methodology was applied. A total of 13 participants were sampled based on their age and gender. Participants were interviewed in depth from September 2015 through February 2016. Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method was used for data analysis. To establish the validity of the study, we evaluated its realistic value, applicability, consistency and neutrality of the qualitative evaluation criteria of Lincoln and Guba.
RESULTS
Koreans' perception of death with dignity was structured as 19 themes, nine theme clusters and four categories. The four categories were "comfortable death", "good death", "resolving problems before death", and "death with good reputation". The theme clusters were "death without pain", "death submitting to one's fate", "death that is not ugly", "leaving good memories to others", "dying in a way we want", "death after proper settling of things", "dealing with chronic resentment before death", "death after living a good life", and "death with recognition".
CONCLUSION
For Koreans, death with dignity meant not burdening others, settling things right and leaving good memories to their families and friends. Such perceptions can be applied to hospice care for terminally ill patients.

Keyword

Death; Right to die; Hospices

MeSH Terms

Evaluation Studies as Topic
Friends
Hospice Care
Hospices
Humans
Methods
Research Design
Right to Die
Statistics as Topic
Terminally Ill