Testing of a Causal Model: Acceptance of Death in Hospice Patients

Abstract

This survey study examined a proposed causal model of acceptance of death, through a chart review and interviews of sixty-nine home hospice patients, their primary caregivers, and hospice staff. Path analysis revealed an overall significant effect of the model, explaining 23 percent of the variance in the dependent variable planning for death. Patient values was found to have a significant direct effect upon planning for death. Spirituality was negatively related to death anxiety and positively related to social support. Age had a direct effect upon spirituality, with older patients having a higher level of spirituality. Ethnicity was related to patient social support, with whites having higher social support. Correlations conducted between variables further specified the model, revealing relationships between age and ethnicity, and social support and hospice values.