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Mindfulness As A Buffer Against Death Anxiety: Implications For End-Of-Life Care, Chad Alexander

University Honors Theses

Death anxiety, defined as the distress associated with the awareness of mortality, has profound psychological and cultural impacts. Western societies often respond to death salience through avoidance and medicalization, reinforcing defensive strategies described by Terror Management Theory. This project aimed to investigate whether mindfulness can serve as a buffer against death anxiety. A structured literature review was conducted using PsycINFO, PubMed, the Portland State University Library, and Google Scholar between January 2025 and April 2025. One study found that mindfulness moderated the effects of death anxiety on health-related quality of life in people living with HIV. Two experiments linked mindfulness …

How Do Older Adults Define A Good Death? A Scoping Review, Ellen L. Csikai, Quentin R. Maynard

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

A scoping literature review of the concepts of ‘good death’ and ‘dying well’ among older adults was conducted. The purpose was to identify aspects that older adults specifically considered important in defining a ‘good death’. The search revealed five articles published between 2005 and 2019 that met inclusionary criteria for the review. Primary among the views of the older adults in these studies of a ‘good death’ was the desire to avoid being a burden to families; done so by dying pain-free/peacefully (preferably in sleep) and preparing in advance by involving family in decisions and funeral/estate planning. Family support throughout …

Cyber Victimization In The Healthcare Industry: Analyzing Offender Motivations And Target Characteristics Through Routine Activities Theory (Rat) And Cyber-Routine Activities Theory (Cyber-Rat), Yashna Praveen, Mijin Kim, Kyung-Shick Choi

International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime

The integration of computer technology in healthcare has revolutionized patient care but has also introduced significant cyber risks. Despite the healthcare sector being a primary target for cyber-attacks, research on the dynamics of these threats and practical solutions remains limited. Understanding the complexities of cyberattacks in this sector is critical, as the impact extends beyond financial losses to directly affect patient care and the protection of sensitive information. This paper applies Routine Activities Theory (RAT) and Cyber Routine Activities Theory (C-RAT) to analyze high-tech cyber victimization case studies in healthcare. The analysis explores the motivations behind these attacks and identifies …

Bridging Education And Service Learning Through Palliative Care, Jamie Borchardt

Journal of Community Engagement and Higher Education

Service learning can bridge the gap between traditional and transformational learning, as students are able to relate the course terminology directly to field experience. This project was set up to determine if volunteering for a semester at Hospice had any effect on emotional intelligence and positivity. A paired samples t-test compared differences in pre- and post-test scores on the Positivity Scale (PS) and the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). The PS revealed a significant difference in pre- and post-test surveys: t(5)=-2.4, p=.03.

Poetic Representations Of Covid-19 Narratives: An Exploration Of Emotional Experiences During The Pandemic, Isha Harshe, Lindy Davidson

The Qualitative Report

In pivotal moments of history like the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical to attend to and preserve the stories of different people experiencing the same phenomenon in their own ways. This project analyzed the public’s emotional experiences during the pandemic using methods of narrative and poetic inquiry. After reading 105 entries from the Pandemic Journaling Project, an online platform where people anonymously published journal entries reflecting on their pandemic experiences, narratives were categorized based on ten prominent emotional themes: anger, anxiety, fatigue, fear, loneliness, longing, loss, loss of control, stress, and uncertainty. Found poems were constructed for each emotion …

Impact Of The Built Environment On The End-Of-Life Journey, Kelechi Akwazie

Masters in Architecture Program: Theses

Several research studies and personal anecdotes show that home-based hospice care patients report better quality of life than their inpatient care counterparts – suggesting that the location of care/built environment is a critical component of hospice care. As a result, other research studies have attempted to provide evidence-based design recommendations for inpatient hospice facilities; however, several of these recommendations either conflict with each other or are vaguely prescribed – which may dull any attempts to implement them.

This literature review takes a unique approach to the provision of evidence-based design recommendations for inpatient hospice facilities by holistically assessing hospice care, …

Public Sentiments And The Influence Of Information-Seeking Preferences On Knowledge, Attitudes, Death Conversation And Receptiveness Towards Palliative Care: Results From A Nationwide Survey In Singapore, Su Lin Yeo, Raymond Han Lip Ng, Tan Ying Peh, May O. Lwin, Poh Heng Chong, Patricia Soek Hui Neo, Jamie Xuelian Zhou, Angel Lee

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Background: Low awareness about palliative care among the global public and healthcare communities has been frequently cited as a persistent barrier to palliative care acceptance. Given that knowledge shapes attitudes and encourages receptiveness, it is critical to examine factors that influence the motivation to increase knowledge. Health information-seeking from individuals and media has been identified as a key factor, as the process of accessing and interpreting information to enhance knowledge has been shown to positively impact health behaviours. Objective: Our study aimed to uncover public sentiments toward palliative care in Singapore. A conceptual framework was additionally developed to investigate the …

Human And Social Services Direct Service Professionals' Perception Of Late-Life Cumulative Grief And Loss, Deanna Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Globally, the adult population 65 and older is anticipated to grow, signaling the necessity of awareness of late-life issues and concerns. Although research has shown that losses and changes in late life are anticipated, there is very little empirical evidence of how HSPs direct care professionals understand, assess, or perceive the complexities of cumulative grief and loss in their 65 and older clients. Charmaz’s constructivist grounded theory (CGT) (2014) was used as the conceptual framework a qualitative methodology to explore the understanding, assessment, and perception of the complexities of late-life cumulative grief and loss of HSPs working with adults 65 …

Professional Caring In Affective Services; The Ambivalence Of Emotional Nurture In Practice, Niall Hanlon

Articles

Emotional nurturance is a fundamental feature of all forms of professional caring. As well as delivering expert social, health, education, practical or personal services, good caregivers possess an other-centred disposition, are emotionally intelligent and relationally skilled, and morally caring. Despite this, the value, role, and status of emotional nurturance in professional care is ambivalent. Drawing on feminist care theory, Hochchild’s emotional labour theory, and Bourdieusian social reproduction theory, as well as diverse empirical studies, this paper identifies how emotion is marginalised and misrecognised and calls for the reappraisal of emotion in professional care work in ways that appreciate tensions, contradictions, …

The Essential Characteristics Of An Effective Hospice And Palliative Care Nurse, Alexis Doyle

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Use Of Ecomaps In Qualitative Health Research, Veena Manja, Ananya Nrusimha, Harriet Macmillan, Lisa Schwartz Dr, Susan Jack

The Qualitative Report

Qualitative health research plays a central role in exploring individuals’ experiences and perceptions of wellness, illness, and healthcare services. Visual tools are increasingly used for data elicitation. An ecomap is a visual tool that applies ecosystems theory to human communities and relationships to provide an illustration of the quality of relationships. We describe the use of ecomaps in qualitative health research. Searches across eight databases identified 407 citations. We screened them in duplicate to identify 129 publications that underwent full text review and included 73 in the final synthesis. We classified and summarized data based on iterative comparisons across sources. …

Literature Review: Improving End-Of-Life Care And Creating A Good Death, Erna Smlatic

Honors Program Theses

The need for quality end-of-life care has increased drastically around the world in the last few centuries due to a surge in life expectancy. As people are living much longer, they are developing and succumbing to chronic progressive diseases which can significantly decrease quality of life. But what exactly does it mean to care for the aging population who are nearing death? Defining quality care at the end-of-life is important but also differs for individuals based on a variety of factors including age, culture, and life experiences. End-of-life care does not come as “one size fits all” and it challenges …

Integration Of Morphine And Virtual Reality: Pain Management For Adult Hospice Cancer Patients, Arlisa Hurd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is currently a problem in that cancer patients engaging in hospice may experience an excessive amount of perceived pain and a decreased quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore an intervention that could lessen the perceived pain experienced by, and increase the quality of life of, cancer patients engaging in hospice. Immersion music virtual reality (IMVR) allows a user to interact with a realistic, computer-generated environment. 3D music (IMVR) is likely suited for pain management with patients in hospice and was used for this study. The theory for the study is the gate control theory. …

A Qualitative Analysis Of End-Of-Life Healthcare In Tennessee: Politics, Principles, And Perceptions, Erin Mauck

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The unprecedented growth of the aging population in Tennessee is a significant demographic trend that highlights the necessity for healthcare policy that tackles end-of-life issues. This study examined the perceived quality of end-of-life healthcare in Tennessee, areas that are in need of improvement, policies that have the potential to influence improvements, and the role of politics in end-of-life healthcare policy. It also assessed the support for end-of-life healthcare policy that would advance quality of care and expand end-of-life choices for Tennesseans, while evaluating the policy-making process that legislators employ.

For this study, data were collected using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with …

How Relevant Is The Hippocratic Oath In Guiding Physicians' Views On Physician-Assisted Suicide, Megan Neal

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Hippocratic Oath is an ancient vow that most doctors, especially within the last century in the United States, take upon their graduation from medical school. The importance of this oath, however, is up for debate as medical advances and cultural beliefs in the rights of the patient evolve. The Hippocratic Oath has been adapted many times over the past few centuries to reflect the beliefs of the period, but the original Oath still survives. One of the most recent movements in the medicine has been the legalization of physician-assisted suicide (PAS) in select states. Using a qualitative, thematic approach, …

Implementing Aromatherapy For Falls Reduction In The Inpatient Hospice Population, Kimberly Kay Pistek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls among the elderly is a health concern affecting multiple patients annually. Hospice patients and those with multiple comorbidities are at the greatest risk of falling and sustaining injuries from falls. Aromatherapy has been used for reducing multiple symptoms as well as for decreasing falls. The practice-focused question explored whether an education program on using aromatherapy for fall prevention would increase knowledge of this intervention for an interdisciplinary group of hospice staff. The design was developed using Knowles's theory of andragogy and Bloom's taxonomy. Thirteen staff members from the same facility participated in the education program. The program was targeted …

Gerontological Social Work Roles In Disaster Preparedness And Response, Nancy Kusmaul, Allison Gibson, Skye N. Leedahl

Social Work Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis And A ‘‘Death With Dignity’’, Jennifer A. Andersen

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The Oregon ‘‘Death With Dignity’’ Act (DWD Act) allows a terminally ill patient with 6 months to live to ask a physician for medication to end their life. To receive the medication, the DWD Act requires the patient to verbally request the prescription twice 2 weeks apart as well as in writing. Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have three main barriers to using DWD: (a) the ability to communicate their informed consent as the disease progresses further, (b) the possibility of dementia which may affect their decisional capacity, and (c) given the nature and speed of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, limited …

Narratives Of Baby Boomers: Envisioning Late Life Spiritual Resources, Jane A. Kuepfer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

ABSTRACT:

In this narrative inquiry, first-wave baby boomers (six males and six females born between 1946 and 1955) reflected on their lives and envisioned living into old age. While literature has focused on trends in baby boomer spirituality, issues of aging, and spiritual needs and tasks among elders, this study listened for “spiritual resources.” Initially defined broadly as that which has sustained a person throughout their life and will sustain them in the future, spiritual resources came to be understood as those things, both internal and external, that address deep human need for such spiritual values as love, hope, peace, …

Gadgets And Grieving: A Chronological Analysis On The Ways In Which Advancements In Medical Technologies Have Altered The Grieving Process, Grace Mcnair

Dialogue & Nexus

Since the 1940s, both end-of-life care and advancements in medical technologies have expanded exponentially. This article explores the advancements in medical technologies and how these have altered the way that Western society grieves death. With the capabilities to prolong life, the family, the patient, and the medical team, all grieve the end of life in different ways. This article provides a chronological analysis of palliative care, hospice care, and various medical advancements. These changes in medicine are then paralleled with alterations in the bereavement process. This article explores historical narratives of Western society’s transformation of grief through the lens of …

Avera's Journey Utilizing Big Data & Analytics To Understand Population Health In South Dakota, Preston Renshaw

South Dakota Demography Conference

No abstract provided.

An Educational Initiative To Prevent Unnecessary Hospitalization For Hospice Patients, Alkeisha Hill Mims

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Avoidable hospitalizations of hospice patients cost Medicare $3 billion a year. When hospice nurses are able to identify early signs and symptoms of acute illness and provide appropriate interventions to prevent such admissions, 20-60% of the hospitalizations are preventable. The practice problem addressed in this quality improvement doctor of nursing project was the 30% hospital admission rate of hospice patients as evidenced by chart review, admission data, and revocation data. The first purpose of the project was to identify evidence-based nursing care paths in the literature for the top 5 medical diagnoses related to avoidable hospital admissions. The second purpose …

Dying Today: Perspectives Of The Modern Hospice Worker, Nicholas Jay Mac Murray

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

From a sociological standpoint, death is relatively difficult to research. While some individuals may describe near-death experiences, the actual act of death cannot be fully known to the living. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the nature of death and dying in the United States today. This research examines the perspective of modern hospice workers. These individuals work near death on a regular basis and therefore have a privileged understanding of what death is like in US society today. Data consist of ten in-depth interviews with hospice/ palliative-care workers in the Midwestern United States. Respondents were …

Hospice Africa Uganda: End-Of-Project Evaluation Of Palliative Care Services, Annette Bongiovanni, Mary Alexis Greenan

HIV and AIDS

Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU) is a nongovernmental organization that provides palliative care services to people living with HIV/AIDS (PHA) and cancer. Based in Kampala, HAU aims to scale-up palliative care within and beyond the nation’s borders. From 2005–08, HAU sought to achieve the following objectives: 1) Increase coverage and scope of palliative care services available to PHA and their families; 2) Train health workers and other HIV/AIDS care providers to integrate pain management, symptom control, and end-of-life care into their existing HIV/AIDS support programs; 3) Build the capacity of families, communities, and community-based organizations in palliative care provision; 4) Integrate …