The effects of death anxiety and social support on the preferences for care near the end of life in older adults staying at long-term care hospitals: A cross-sectional, descriptive study

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of death anxiety and social support on the preferences for care near the end of life in older adults staying at long-term care hospitals. By understanding these relationships among the factors, we provide crucial insights for enhancing end-of-life care with respect to patients’ end-of-life care preferences. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 155 older adults staying at long-term care hospitals participated in the study. Data collection was performed from January 9, 2023 to March 9, 2023. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Results: The results of this study show that death anxiety (β=.23, p=.002), social support (β=.22, p=.003), intensive care transfer (β=.18, p=.022), and severity of illness (β=.16, p=.033) were significantly affecting factors to the care preferences near the end of life in older adults staying at long-term care hospitals. Conclusion: Understanding the end-of-life care preferences of older adults with death anxiety in long-term care hospitals is important. Expressing these preferences in a timely manner requires extensive support from patients, family, and health professionals. Developing an effective program for end-of-life care preferences is continuously needed for future studies.