Patient Acceptance of Death and Symptom Control/Quality of Care Among Terminal Cancer Patients Under Inpatient Hospice Care: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study.

This Korean multicenter cross-sectional study examined the association between death acceptance among terminal cancer patients and symptom control as well as quality of care (QoC) as perceived by their family caregivers (FCs) in inpatient hospice settings. Using the Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R) to measure death acceptance, the study found that patients with higher death acceptance were younger, more educated, more religious, and had better family functioning, and their FCs reported greater satisfaction with QoC, especially regarding individualized care and family relationships. Notably, severe shortness of breath was linked to lower death acceptance, and the positive association between death acceptance and FC-perceived QoC was strongest among younger or female patients, those with lower education, and those cared for by non-spouse caregivers. The findings suggest that addressing death acceptance and symptom management may enhance hospice care quality and FC satisfaction, highlighting the importance of culturally sensitive, family-centered approaches in end-of-life care.