This project was undertaken to ascertain the perceptions of a group of Taiwan's fourth-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) students regarding death and help expected from nurses during the dying process. Within the Chinese culture, death is one of the most important life issues. However, in many Chinese societies it is difficult for people to reveal their deepest feelings to their significant others or loved ones. It was in this context that this project was developed because little is known about how Taiwan's nursing students perceive death and the dying process. Using an open-ended, self-report questionnaire, 110 senior BSN students recorded their thoughts on: (1) their fears before physical death; (2) afterlife destinations; and (3) the help they would expect from nurses when dying. The data were analyzed using a three-layer qualitative thematic analysis. The students' reported needs during the dying process were directed towards three main goals: (1) help in reaching the 'triple targets of individual life'; (2) help in facilitating in-depth support so that both the dying person and significant others can experience a blessed farewell; and (3) help in reaching a destination in the afterlife. The results support the belief of dying as a transition occurring when life weans itself from the mortal world and prepares for an afterlife.

In the present study, we used the phenomenological approach to rediscover the ontological meaning of relationships with the deceased in Taiwanese widows/widowers. We first revised the original Western definitions of grief, bereavement, and mourning to fit Taiwanese culture. We used the word bei dao to indicate the mixed nature of grief and mourning in the Taiwanese bereavement process. Then we reanalyzed data from a previous study, which was conducted in 2006. In the previous qualitative research, each subject was interviewed 3 to 4 times in the mourning state over an 18-month interval that began at the point of the spouse's death. Results showed that two main themes emerged in the present analysis: (a) a blurred boundary of life and death and (b) a transformation of ethical bonds. The present study reveals the culturally unique aspects of the Taiwanese bei dao process. Limitations of the present study and future directions are discussed and reflected.

ABSTRACT:The goal of this study was to use meta-analytic path analysis to evaluate a theoretical model of stress and health. A meta-analysis technique was adopted to combine and re-analyze 477 studies that investigated stress-related topics between January 1980 and December 2003 in Taiwan. Databases searched included PerioPath-Index to Chinese Periodical Literature, Electronic Theses and Dissertations System, and NSC (National Science Council) Science and Technology Information System. Variables recorded included stress, health, social support, coping strategies, and personality traits. A correlation matrix of these variables was derived from meta-analytic data and then analyzed using structural path analysis to test the fitness of the hypothesized stress-health model to the observed aggregated data. Results showed the revised hypothesized model to be a reasonable, good fit to aggregated data. Based on the theoretical stress-health model developed in this study, subjective stress was found to have a substantively important and direct effect on health, whereas objective stress required the mediating function of subjective stress to exercise an influence on health. Such variables as social support, coping strategies, and personality traits had comparatively weaker influences, either direct or indirect, on the stress-health process. This study provided a holistic view on the relationship between stress and health in the context of stress and proposed a direction for future research and practice.

BackgroundCaregivers of cancer patients commonly experience depressive symptoms due to the heavy burden of caregiving responsibility.ObjectiveThis meta-analysis examined the prevalence of depression among caregivers of cancer patients.MethodsWe included 85 studies covering 23,317 participants published between 2001 and 2021 (25 countries) that reported the prevalence of depression among caregivers of cancer patients. We examined the pooled prevalence of depression and hypothesized moderators, including year, age, sex, geographic regions, percentage of spousal caregivers, depression measures, and cancer stage.ResultsAll 85 effect sizes included 6,077 caregivers of patients with depression. The weighted average prevalence of depression was 25.14% (95% CI, 21.42–29.27%) among caregivers. The prevalence rates were moderated by geographic region, patients' cancer stage, and measures for depression. The prevalence rates also varied among the different measures assessing depression. The prevalence rate decreased with the mean age of the caregivers and the percentage of spousal caregivers.ConclusionsThis study revealed a high prevalence of depression among caregivers of cancer patients. The prevalence rates also varied with the study design, demographics of caregivers, and patients' medical information. These findings highlight that psychological support and intervention may be crucial for patients and their caregivers in clinical practice.