Patient Acceptance of Death and Symptom Control/Quality of Care Among Terminal Cancer Patients Under Inpatient Hospice Care: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Patient attitude to death is associated with outcomes in hospice care settings. This Korean study investigated the association between terminal cancer patient death acceptance and symptom control and quality of care (QoC) as perceived by family caregivers (FCs).

Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional survey was conducted in nine inpatient hospice care units, and the data of 108 dyads (terminal cancer patients who responded to the revised Death Attitude Profile and their primary FCs) were analyzed. Dyads were dichotomized into high and low groups by death-acceptance level. Multivariate regression models were used to examine the association between death acceptance and symptom severity/QoC as perceived by FCs.

Results: Patients in the high acceptance group were younger, educated to a higher level, more religious, and had better-functioning families. Patients with severe shortness of breath were less likely to accept the inevitability of death. FCs of patients with high acceptance of death were more satisfied with QoC, particularly in domains of individualized care and family relationships. In addition, the positive association between patient acceptance and FC satisfaction with care was significant in dyads of young or female patients, patients with a low education level, and patients not cared for by a spouse.

Conclusion: Terminal cancer patient death acceptance is associated with symptom control and FC perceived QoC.