End-of-Life Care Attitudes among Middle-Aged Koreans: Willingness to Use Hospice Services and Advance Directives

Abstract

Given the increasing number of older adults in South Korea, it is critical to understand their attitudes toward end-of-life (EOL) care. This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with the willingness to receive hospice care and complete advance directives among 2026 middle-aged adults in South Korea. On the basis of Andersen's behavioral model and previous research, predisposing factors (age, sex, education, and religion), enabling factors (income), need factors (perceived health and depressive symptoms), and death-related factors (death of family members or friends and knowledge about EOL care planning) were included as predictors. The results showed that being older and having a higher educational level, a higher monthly income, and better knowledge of EOL care planning were associated with the willingness to use hospice services. On the other hand, a higher educational level, a higher monthly income, better knowledge of EOL care planning, and the death of a family or friend in the past year were associated with the willingness to complete advance directives. Implications for practice, policy, and research to better serve the needs related to EOL care among middle-aged adults in South Korea were discussed. Copyright © 2017 by The Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. All rights reserved.