title: Views on death with regard to end-of-life care preferences among cancer patients at a Japanese university hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the views on death among cancer patients in Japan and examines how these views are related to age, sex, and physical condition. We also investigate how these views are related to where patients would like to spend their final days and whether or not they would like to be told how long they have left to live.
  
  
  METHODS
  We targeted 450 cancer patients receiving outpatient treatment in the radiology department at the University of Tokyo Hospital. We used the Death Attitudes Inventory (DAI) developed by Hirai to measure attitudes about death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 450 patients approached, we received responses from 310 (69% collection rate). The results of the t test and one-way ANOVA showed that, in terms of "death anxiety/fear," the under-65 group (17.73 ± 6.69) scored significantly higher than the 65-and-over group (15.43 ± 7.69, t = 2.685, df = 280, p < 0.01); the group with KPS scores 70 or above (16.88 ± 7.21) scored higher than the group with KPS scores below 70 (12.73 ± 7.09, t = 2.168, df = 280, p = 0.03); and no significant difference was found for sex, metastasis, or treatment stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that, although views on death among cancer patients may differ according to sex, age, and physical condition, taking these factors into account when understanding such views can be useful in predicting where patients may wish to spend their final days.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine,The University of Tokyo Hospital,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Yujiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Psychology,Kitasato University,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwamitsu
authors.affiliation: Division of Palliative Nursing, Health Sciences,Tohoku University Graduation School of Medicine,Sendai,Miyagi,Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsunori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.affiliation: Department of Complementary and Alternative Medicine,Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine,Osaka,Japan.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative Medicine,The University of Tokyo Hospital,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanai
authors.affiliation: CancerNet Japan,Department of Public Relations,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Sachiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Nursing/Palliative Care Nursing,School of Health Sciences and Nursing Sciences,Graduate School of Medicine,University of Tokyo,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Kimiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology,The University of Tokyo Hospital,Tokyo,Japan.
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Cancer patients; Death and dying; Death anxiety; End-of-life care