End-of-Life Planning in Germany and South Korea: Perceived Engagement and Actual Behavior
2024

End-of-Life Planning in Germany and South Korea

Sample size: 1227 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Kim-Knauss Yaeji, Shin Yumi, Ha Jung-Hwa, Lang Frieder

Primary Institution: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Hypothesis

End-of-life planning behaviors differ across cultures, influenced by social norms.

Conclusion

The study found that cultural context significantly affects end-of-life planning behaviors, with Koreans relying more on informal discussions than Germans.

Supporting Evidence

  • Perceived engagement in end-of-life planning increased the likelihood of completing advance care planning (ACP).
  • Older, female individuals with higher education levels in Germany had higher odds of ACP completion.
  • Discussions about death with relatives were more common in Korea, indicating a cultural reliance on informal planning.

Takeaway

This study looks at how people in Germany and South Korea plan for the end of their lives, finding that culture changes how they talk about it.

Methodology

Data was collected through an online survey from the 'Ageing as Future' project, focusing on individuals aged 60 and older.

Limitations

The study may not capture all cultural nuances and relies on self-reported data.

Participant Demographics

Participants were aged 60 and older, with 708 from Germany and 519 from South Korea.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1093/geroni/igae098.0370

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