TY - JOUR
T1 - Social Workers' Personal Death Attitudes, Experiences, and Advance Directive Communication Behavior
AU - Black, Kathy
PY - 2005/1/1
Y1 - 2005/1/1
N2 - This research surveyed 29 social workers to examine their personal death attitudes and experiences in relation to their advance directives communication practice behavior. The study measured death attitudes on 5 dimensions: fear, avoidance, neutral, approach, or escape acceptance of death. Participants' personal experiences with terminal illness and death were also assessed. Advance directive communication practices were operationalized as 7 phases: initiation of the topic, disclosure of information, identification of a surrogate decision-maker, discussion of treatment options, elicitation of patient values, interaction with family members, and collaboration with other health care professionals. Findings suggest that social workers' advance directive communication behavior differs by practitioners' death attitudes and experiences. Implications for social work education and professional development are discussed.
AB - This research surveyed 29 social workers to examine their personal death attitudes and experiences in relation to their advance directives communication practice behavior. The study measured death attitudes on 5 dimensions: fear, avoidance, neutral, approach, or escape acceptance of death. Participants' personal experiences with terminal illness and death were also assessed. Advance directive communication practices were operationalized as 7 phases: initiation of the topic, disclosure of information, identification of a surrogate decision-maker, discussion of treatment options, elicitation of patient values, interaction with family members, and collaboration with other health care professionals. Findings suggest that social workers' advance directive communication behavior differs by practitioners' death attitudes and experiences. Implications for social work education and professional development are discussed.
KW - Death attitudes
KW - advance directives
KW - end-of-life care
KW - advance care planning
UR - https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/gey_facpub_sm/13
UR - https://doi.org/10.1300/J457v01n03_03
U2 - 10.1300/J457v01n03_03
DO - 10.1300/J457v01n03_03
M3 - Article
C2 - 17387067
VL - 1
JO - Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care
JF - Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care
ER -