Unit:
ΠΜΣ Οργάνωση και Διαχείριση Ανακουφιστικής και Υποστηρικτικής Φροντίδας Χρονίως ΠασχόντωνLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Author:
Tranaka Maria - Markia
Supervisors info:
Μυστακίδου Κυριακή, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Ρέντζος Μιχαήλ, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Σακκάς Παύλος, Ομότιμος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Στάση γιατρών απέναντι στο θάνατο και στοιχεία προσωπικότητάς τους
Translated title:
Physicians' attitudes towards death and personality traits
Summary:
Background: The physicians’ attitude toward death significantly affects their relationship to the patient and the quality of the provided health care services.
Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is a comparative difference in death attitudes among physicians (accordingly to the level of exposure to death) and the relation of these attitudes with personality traits.
Methods: In the present study 155 physicians of different medical specialties participated. Physicians were divided in three groups by level of exposure to death on professional level. Data were collected using the Death attitude profile Revised – (DAP-R), the Eysenck Personality questionnaire - Revised Short Scale (EPQ-R) and a sociodemographic questionnaire.
Results: There was statistically significant difference between the group of physicians that are frequently exposed to death and the group of physicians that are rarely exposed to death for the subscales “Fear of Death” and “Avoidance of Death”. A limited difference was noted for the subscales “Neutral Acceptance” and “Escape Acceptance”. There were no statistically significant differences for the personality dimensions of EPQ-R Short Scale.
Conclusion: High-exposed to death medical specialties have more fear of death and more often adopt an attitude of avoidance. Palliative care education can familiarize medical staff with the idea of dying, aiming at improving their professional skills. Further studies are necessary to investigate other factors that affect physicians' attitudes towards death.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Death attitude, Death anxiety, Fear of death, Physicians, Personality, Personality traits
Number of references:
100
