Actitudes hacia el cuidado de pacientes al final de la vida y miedo a la muerte en una muestra de estudiantes sociosanitarios

Abstract

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between fear of death (own death, the death of other and the dying process of both) and the attitudes of healthcare students regarding end-of-life patient care. Also, to determine factors that might be associated with this process. MethodsDescriptive, transversal and correlational study. The Spanish version of Collet-Lester Scale and Attitudes about End-of-life Care Scale were applied to N=84 healthcare students (average age 27.7, SD=10.09; 82.1% (69) women) being trained at a Healthcare Centre of the Community of Madrid. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate sociodemographic variables, groups were compared by Student's T and Pearson's correlations. Resultsthe students showed an attitude towards the care of end of life patients (M=3.16, SD=. 330). Regarding the fear of death, the highest score was found regarding fear of the death of others (M=3.88, SD=.680), then fear towards my own process of dying (M=3.81, SD=.719), fear of others dying (M=3.48, SD=.697) and, last, fear of my own death (M=3.23, SD=.848). The differences between all of them were statistically significant (p < .001). Regarding the main variable of the study, the greater the fear of both their own death and that of others, the less favourable the attitudes they displayed towards end of life patient care. ConclusionsIt is relevant to consider which variables can affect health professionals in end of life patient care, as appropriate attitudes towards death are crucial for the proper management of patients in such a situation.