Effect of a Death Preparing Education Program on Death Anxiety and Meaning of Life in Volunteers / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of death preparing education on death anxiety and meaning of life for volunteers. METHODS: Data collection and intervention were carried out from January 11 to 25, 2009. The subjects included 60 volunteers in Jeonju city, and they were divided into two groups; 30 each of experimental group and control group. Death preparing education program contained 5 steps. Data were analyzed with t-test, chi-square-test, and ANCOVA test with SPSS version 12.0. RESULTS: The death anxiety scores in the experimental group were significantly lower than in the control group (F=4.01, P=0.046). The meaning of life scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than in the control group (F=6.32, P=0.015). CONCLUSION: The death preparing education program for volunteers was confirmed to be an effective intervention to lessen death anxiety and to improve the meaning of life. Therefore, I strongly recommend that this program should generously be applied to volunteers.