Discussing Death in Health Studies: A Study in Singapore
Author Information
Author(s): Wee Hwee-Lin, Li Shu-Chuen, Xie Feng, Zhang Xu-Hao, Luo Nan, Cheung Yin-Bun, Machin David, Fong Kok-Yong, Thumboo Julian
Primary Institution: Singapore General Hospital
Hypothesis
How does ease in discussing death influence health valuation in a multi-ethnic Asian population?
Conclusion
Singaporeans were generally comfortable with discussing death and had clear preferences for several descriptors of death and for 'all-worst'.
Supporting Evidence
- Subjects rated their ease in discussing death with a median score of 8.0.
- Education was the only sociocultural variable that significantly influenced ease in discussing death.
- The majority preferred the term 'all-worst' over 'pits' for describing the worst possible health state.
Takeaway
Most people in Singapore are okay with talking about death, and they prefer certain words to describe it.
Methodology
In-depth interviews were conducted among adult Chinese, Malay, and Indian Singaporeans, who rated their comfort in discussing death and the acceptability of various descriptors using visual analogue scales.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to reluctance to discuss death may affect participation in health valuation studies.
Limitations
Findings may not be generalizable to the entire Singaporean population as subjects with fewer than 6 years of education were excluded.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 35% Chinese, 32% Malay, and a median age of 44 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.045
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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