Conversations That Matter: Patient Perspectives on Conversations at End-of-Life

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Date
2018-09-27Author
Caulfield, Jane 1982-
ORCID
0000-0002-2731-884XType
ThesisDegree Level
MastersMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The introduction of new legislation in 2016 that allows for medical assistance in dying (MAID) has created a need for patient-centred research that seeks to understand patient needs at end-of-life. More specifically, how do patients want conversations about end-of-life care or options at end-of-life to go? This research employed the Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis methodology to gain a deep understanding of the lived experience and gain insight that will help medical professionals and policymakers develop procedures that maintain a patient focus. Through five in-depth semi-structured interviews, it became apparent that patients prefer conversations with physicians that are truthful, maintain a sense of familiarity, are rooted in humanity, and that provide comfort. When it comes to talking about MAID, patients prefer conversations that are “straight up” and take place at a time prior to any suffering or loss of dignity. Perhaps most importantly, this research was able to highlight that while non-terminally ill people may fear death, dying people only fear what they could consider to be a “bad death.” This study provides insight into patient need so that future training or learning resources are developed in a way to address and highlight what patients want. This study also demonstrates how marketing and consumer researchers can play an important role in healthcare and health policy research.
Degree
Master of Science (M.Sc.)Department
Edwards School of BusinessProgram
MarketingSupervisor
Delbaere, MarjorieCommittee
Chartier, Brian; Phillips, Barbara; Venne, RosemaryCopyright Date
October 2018Subject
End-of-life care
palliative care
Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
health communication
health policy