Understanding the will to live in patients nearing death

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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/193195

Title: Understanding the will to live in patients nearing death
Author(s): Chochinov, Harvey Max; Hack, Thomas; Hassard, Thomas; Kristjanson, Linda J.; McClement, Susan; Harlos, Mike
Abstract: This study examined concurrent influences on the will to live in 189 patients with end-stage cancer. The authors found significant correlations between the will to live and existential, psychological, social, and, to a lesser degree, physical sources of distress. Existential variables proved to have the most influence, with hopelessness, burden to others, and dignity entering into the final model. Health care providers must learn to appreciate the importance of existential issues and their ability to influence the will to live among patients nearing death.
Publication type: Journal article
Source: Psychosomatics, Vol. 46, no. 1 (Feb 2005), pp. 7-10
Publication year: 2005
FOR Code(s): 1103 Clinical Sciences
Keyword(s): Distress syndrome; Healthcare personnel; Human experiment; Pain measurement; Patient attitude; Personality inventory; Psychological aspect; Psychometrics; Quality of life; Regression analysis; Sick role; Sickness impact profile; Terminal care; Terminal illness; Volition; Wellbeing
Publisher: American Psychiatric Publishing
ISSN: 0033-3182
Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.psy.46.1.7
Peer reviewed