Kae Hwa Jo; Byung Sook Song

doi:10.4040/jkan.2012.42.5.680

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Original Article
Effect of Family Cohesion, Subjective Happiness and other Factors on Death Anxiety in Korean Elders: Kae Hwa Jo, Byung Sook Song; Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing 2012;42(5):680-688.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2012.42.5.680
Published online: October 31, 2012

¹Catholic University of Daegu, College of Nursing, Daegu, Korea.

²Pohang St. Mary's Hospital, Department of Nursing, Pohang, Korea.

Address reprint requests to: Jo, Kae-Hwa. College of Nursing, Catholic University of Daegu, 3056-6 Daemyung 4-dong, Nam-gu, Daegu 705-718, Korea. Tel: +82-53-650-4825, Fax: +82-53-650-4392, jokw@cu.ac.kr

• Received: February 24, 2012 • Accepted: September 23, 2012

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Abstract
NOTES
REFERENCES

Abstract

Purpose
The purposes of this study were to explore the effects of family cohesion and subjective happiness on death anxiety of Korean elders and to identify other factors contributing to death anxiety.
Methods
The participants were 280 elders who lived in P metropolitan city. Data were collected between November 5, 2011 and January 12, 2012 using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), Family Cohesion Evaluation Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale, and Fear of Death Scale (FODS). Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 19.0 program.
Results
Family cohesion, marital status, religious activity, perceived health status, and subjective happiness were included in the factors affecting death anxiety of Korean elders. These variables explained 50.1% of death anxiety.
Conclusion
The results of the study indicate that these variables should be considered in developing nursing intervention programs to decrease death anxiety and increase family cohesion and subjective happiness for life integration in Korean elders.
Keywords: Family; Cohesion; Elderly; Death; Anxiety

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (2011-0004953).

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Table 1

Demographic Characteristics and Differences Level of Death Anxiety of Participants (N=280)

HSD=Honestly significantly different.

Table 2

Means of Research Variables for the Subjects (N=280)

Table 3

Correlation among Family Cohesion, Subjective Happiness, and Death Anxiety of Participants (N=280)

Table 4

Variables influencing Death Anxiety of Subjects (N=280)

Adj. R²=Adjusted R square; ^*Dummy variables.

Figure & Data

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Effect of Family Cohesion, Subjective Happiness and other Factors on Death Anxiety in Korean Elders

J Korean Acad Nurs. 2012;42(5):680-688. Published online October 31, 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.2012.42.5.680

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Effect of Family Cohesion, Subjective Happiness and other Factors on Death Anxiety in Korean Elders

Table 1

Demographic Characteristics and Differences Level of Death Anxiety of Participants (N=280)

HSD=Honestly significantly different.

Table 2

Means of Research Variables for the Subjects (N=280)

Table 3

Correlation among Family Cohesion, Subjective Happiness, and Death Anxiety of Participants (N=280)

Table 4

Variables influencing Death Anxiety of Subjects (N=280)

Adj. R²=Adjusted R square; ^*Dummy variables.

Table 1 Demographic Characteristics and Differences Level of Death Anxiety of Participants (N=280)

HSD=Honestly significantly different.

Table 2 Means of Research Variables for the Subjects (N=280)

Table 3 Correlation among Family Cohesion, Subjective Happiness, and Death Anxiety of Participants (N=280)