Hope, life, and death: a qualitative analysis of dying cancer patients' talk about hope.

Full Abstract

Although deemed vital to patient well-being, hope in persons who are terminally ill is often thought to be problematic, particularly when centered on cure. As part of a study on end-of-life decision-making, we asked 28 patients with cancer, believed to be within weeks of their death, to talk about hope. Responses were transcribed and discursively analyzed, with 3 versions of hope, each of which connected hope and life, identified--hope as essential to, and for, life; hope, life, death, and others; and, hope/s changing during (or in) life. Hope for cure was common. Rather than death-denying, patients' hope appeared life-affirming, functioning to value patients, their lives, and connections with others.

Author information

Author/s: Eliott, Jaklin A (JA); Olver, Ian N (IN);

Affiliation: Cancer Council Australia, Sydney and School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5005, Australia. jaklin.eliott(-atsign-)cancer.org.au

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Death studies (Death Stud), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Aug; vol 33 (issue 7) : pp 609-38

Dates: Created 2009/07/22; Completed 2009/07/31;

PMID: 19623763, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 8/20/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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