Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Tataryn, D. Articles by Chochinov, H. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Tataryn, D. Articles by Chochinov, H. M. Other Patient Groups/Issues

Predicting the Trajectory of Will to Live in Terminally Ill Patients

Received Jan. 18, 2002; revision received Feb. 16, 2002; accepted Feb. 16, 2002. From the Faculty of Nursing and the Division of Palliative Care of the Department of Psychiatry and Family Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; and CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. Address reprint requests to Dr. Chochinov, PX-246 771 Bannatyne Ave., Winnipeg, Canada, R3E 3N4; chochin{at}cc.umanitoba.ca (e-mail).

Will to live has been shown to vary considerably during the final course of a terminal illness. The goal of this study was to identify illness-related and demographic variables predicting will to live among dying patients. Subjects were 168 patients with cancer who were admitted for palliative care. Will to live was measured twice daily for the duration of hospitalization by using a self-report 100-mm visual analogue scale. Will-to-live data for each patient were summarized into two statistics, intercept and slope, by using simple linear regression analyses. Intercept-slope pairs for all patients were classified into the following five clusters by using spatial and conceptual criteria: patients with sustained high will to live (58%), patients with sustained moderate will to live (11%), patients with sustained low will to live (3%), will-to-live relinquishers (18%), and will-to-live acquirers (10%). Discriminant analyses revealed seven variables that accounted for 69% of the variance in cluster membership: anxiety, shortness of breath, nausea, length of survival from time of admission, having a diagnosis of colon cancer, having no religion, and living with a spouse.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. NAUDTS, C. DUCATELLE, J. KOVACS, K. LAURENS, F. VAN DEN EYNDE, and C. VAN HEERINGEN Euthanasia: the role of the psychiatrist The British Journal of Psychiatry, May 1, 2006; 188(5): 405 - 409. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. M. Chochinov Dying, Dignity, and New Horizons in Palliative End-of-Life Care. CA Cancer J Clin, March 1, 2006; 56(2): 84 - 103. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. B. Greenberg Barriers to the Treatment of Depression in Cancer Patients J Natl Cancer Inst Monographs, July 1, 2004; 2004(32): 127 - 135. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2002 Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us