A Classification of Death Orientation of Cancer Patient`s Family Members: A Q-Methodological Approach

Park, Chang Seung; Kim, Soon Ja

Abstract

This study was designed to identify, describe and classify orientations of cancer patient's family members to death and to identify factors related to their attitudes on death. Death to the male is understood as a comprehensive system and believed to be highly subjective experience. Therefore attitude on death is affected by personalities. As an attempt to measure the subjective meaning toward death, the unstructured Q-methodology was used. Korean Death Orientation Questionnaire prepared by Kim was used. Item-reliability and Sorting reliability were tested. Forty five cancer patient's family members hospitalized in one university medical center in Seoul were sampled. Sorting the 65 Q-items according to the level of personal agreement; A forced normal distribution into the 11 levels, were carried out by the 45 P-samples. The demographic data and information related to death orientation of the P-sample was collected through face to face in depth interviews. Data was gathered from August 30 till September 22, 1995. The Z-scores of the Q-items were computed and principal component factor analysis was carried out by PC-QUANL Program. Three unique types of the death orientation were identified and labeled. Type I consists of twenty P-samples. Life and death was accepted as people's destiny. They firmly believed the existence of life after life. They kept aloof from death and their concern was facing the end of the life with dignity. They were in favor of organ donation. Type II consists of Nine P-samples. They considered that death was the end of everything and did not believed the life after life. They were very concerned about the present life. Type III consists of Sixteen P-samples. They regarded the death as a natural phenomena. And they considered that the man is just a traveller and is bound to head for the next life which is believed to be free of agony, pain or darkness. They neither feared death nor its process. Their concerns were on the activities to prepare themselves for the eternal-life after death. Thus, it was concluded that there were three distinctive type of attitudes on death among cancer patient family members, and their death attitudes were affected by demographic and socio-cultural factors such as sex, education, and religion.