The Understanding of Death in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients in China: An Initial Study

Abstract

Patient's needs and rights are the key to delivering state-of-the-art modern nursing care. It is especially challenging to provide proper nursing care for patients who are reaching the end of life (EOL). In Chinese culture nursing practice, the perception and expectations of these EOL patients are not well known. This article explores the feelings and wishes of 16 terminally ill Chinese cancer patients who are going through the dying process. An open-ended questionnaire with eight items was used to interview 16 terminally ill Chinese cancer patients, and was then analyzed by a combined approach employing grounded theory and interpretive phenomenological analysis. Four dimensions were explored: first, patient's attitudes towards death, such as accepting the fact calmly, striving to survive, and the desire for control; second, the care desired during the dying process, including avoiding excessive treatment and dying with dignity; third, the degree of the patient's acceptance of death; and fourth, the consequences of death. This cognitive study offers a fundamental understanding of perceptions of death of terminally ill cancer patients from the Chinese culture. Their attitude toward death was complex. They did not prefer aggressive treatment and most of them had given a great deal of thought to their death.

Identifying End-of-Life Preferences Among Chinese Patients With Cancer Using the Heart to Heart Card Game

“…The need to maintain patient dignity at the EOL among terminally ill patients with cancer in China has also been confirmed in a qualitative study. 25 However, this finding was inconsistent with a previous study of Chinese Americans reporting that “freedom from pain” was ranked as the most frequently selected EOL preference, with maintaining dignity ranked as the fifth. 9 This finding suggests that patient dignity in EOL care has not received enough attention in China.…”

Preferences for Feeding Tube Use and Their Determinants Among Cognitively Intact Nursing Home Residents in Wuhan, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In our study, one of the most cited reasons for accepting feeding tube was, "One should try when there is a chance" (84.2%), followed by "want to live longer" (10.2%). There is a great emphasis on valuing life in Chinese culture (Huang, Zeng, Mao, & Liu, 2018). Influenced by Confucianism, the Chinese believe in the colloquialism of "To live is better than do die" even if in the conditions of critical illness (Huang et al, 2018).…”

“…There is a great emphasis on valuing life in Chinese culture (Huang, Zeng, Mao, & Liu, 2018). Influenced by Confucianism, the Chinese believe in the colloquialism of "To live is better than do die" even if in the conditions of critical illness (Huang et al, 2018). Study participants might view giving up on life, in particular by withholding food as incompatible with this important Chinese cultural value.…”

Palliative Care in the Greater China Region: A Systematic Review of Needs, Models, and Outcomes

“…Of the 118 studies which were examined in the abstract screen phase, 52 studies did not meet inclusion criteria. This review retained 19 qualitative studies (28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46) and 47 quantitative studies . The study characteristics was shown in Table 3.…”

“…Thirteen studies were experimental studies, including 8 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (63,77,81,83,(85)(86)(87)90), 4 pre-posttest studies (64,66,68,91), and 1 cost-effectiveness study. (84) Among the 19 qualitative studies (28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38)(39)(40)(41)(42)(43)(44)(45)(46), 17/19 studies were individual interviews (28-33, 35-38, 40-46), and 1 focus group interview (34) One study (39) retrospectively reviewed medical records and transformed it into quantitative data.…”