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The progress of awareness and acceptance of dying assessed in cancer patients and their caring relatives

St Christopher's Hospice, London

Awareness and acceptance of dying were assessed weekly by semistructured interviews in a randomized sample of 76 hospice cancer patients and caring relatives. During the final eight weeks of the study, patients' awareness showed only slight increase (about 42% fully certain) while relatives' certainty clearly progressed (from 53% to 81% certain). Depression was linked with greater awareness in relatives but not patients. Patients were more anxious if death seemed probable rather than certain or no more than possible. Acceptance usually increased, with 51% of patients and 69% of relatives becoming nearly/fully accepting. Many individuals diverged from the average progress of awareness and acceptance; 18% of patients and 24% of relatives showed fluctuating or falling acceptance.

Patients' and relatives' levels of awareness were positively correlated (r = 0.46), as was acceptance (r = 0.47). Relatives accepted more if patients were over 70 years, weak, unable to concentrate or had a quality of life index (QLI) below five, but patients were more accepting if female and if the QLI was above five. Pain did not increase acceptance. Acceptance was described in terms of death's inevitability, faith and spiritual values, life's diminishing rewards, completing life, final benefits, humour, sharing, etc. Individuals often used more than one concept.

Generalizing exact figures from this sample needs caution, but some patterns of progress, possible influential factors and ways of acceptance may apply widely.

Key Words: attitude to death • adaptation, psychological • caregivers • terminal care • quality of life • thanatology

Palliative Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 1, 19-35 (1999)
DOI: 10.1191/026921699672169546


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