title: Factors in narratives to questions in the Short-Term Life Review interviews of terminally ill cancer patients and utility of the questions.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although the Short-Term Life Review elevated the spiritual well-being of terminally ill cancer patients in our previous study, we have not examined what patients reviewed for each question item of it. We examined factors in narratives to questions in the Short-Term Life Review interviews of terminally ill cancer patients and utility of the questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four terminally ill cancer patients received the Short-Term Life Review interview in which there were two sessions. In the first session patients reviewed their lives, and an interviewer made a simple album of the patient based on patients' narrative. After 1 week, there was a second session. Qualitative analysis was conducted on patients' answers to each question using computational word mining, and factors were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients' narratives were analyzed. "Human relationships" was identified under "important things in life." "Pleasant memories" were associated with "impressive memories." "Illness" and "marriage and divorce" were related to "turning points in the life." "Raising children and education" and "company or work" were identified as "roles in life." "Achievements at work" were identified with "pride." "Message to my children" was identified with "what I want to say to my family." "To live sincerely" and "consideration for others" were identified as "advice for the next generation." Patients reviewed few for topics such as "pride," "what I want to say to my family," "advice for the next generation," and "summing up my life."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors such as human relationships, raising children, and education as a role and source of pride, and concerns about children's future, were associated with elevating spiritual well-being. Question to which that patients easily answered were selected.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, St. Mary's College, Kurume City, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative and Supportive Care, Palliative Care Team, and Seirei Hospice, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morita
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akechi
authors.affiliation: RJC Research Company, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kouchi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D061212:Memory, Episodic; D008875:Middle Aged; D062525:Narrative Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000523:psychology*