The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing (재활간호학회지)

Korean Academic Society of Rehabilitation Nursing (한국재활간호학회)
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Effects of Letter on the Family Functioning, Fear of Death, and Depression among the Terminally Ill Cancer Patients

편지를 활용한 가족관계 증진 프로그램이 말기 암 환자의 가족기능, 죽음 불안, 우울에 미치는 영향

  • Lee, Son Ja (Chungbuk University Hospital) ;
  • Kim, Inja (Department of Nursing, Daejeon University)
  • Received : 2014.03.10
  • Accepted : 2014.06.18
  • Published : 2014.06.30
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Abstract

Purpose: To improve the family functioning, fear of death and depression among the terminally ill cancer patients, the effects of letter as an independent nursing intervention were identified. Methods: Non-equivalent control group pre and post test design was used. Subjects were 60 patients and their family members who were hospitalized at hospice units of an university-affiliated hospital. Patients and their family members were encouraged to write a letter to each other at least 4 times for 2 weeks. Results: Family functioning, fear of death and depression in the experimental group were significantly more improved after intervention than those of control group, even depression of experimental group before intervention was worse than that of control group. Conclusion: Writing a letter to family members is worth to use as an independent nursing intervention for terminally ill patients. It is recommended that further study to identify the potential of letters as an independent nursing intervention is implemented for various patients.

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References

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