Understanding the Will to Live in Patients Nearing Death
Abstract
This study examined concurrent influences on the will to live in 189 patients with end-stage cancer The authors found significant correlations between the will to live and existential, psychological, social, and, to a lesser degree, physical sources of distress. Existential variables proved to have the most influence, with hopelessness, burden to others, and dignity entering into the final model. Health care providers must learn to appreciate the importance of existential issues and their ability to influence the will to live among patients nearing death.
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Among patients with end-stage cancer, the will to live is negatively associated with perceived burdensomeness on others and positively associated with perceived social support.
“among patients with end-stage cancer, the will to live was found to be negatively associated with patients’ apperceptions of burdensomeness on others and was positively associated with perceived social support (Chochinov, Hack, Hassard, Kristjanson, McClement, & Harlos, 2005)”
From The interpersonal theory of suicide. (2010) · cites this paper as Chochinov, Hack, Hassard, Kristjanson, McClement, & Harlos, 2005
Cites
Effect of spiritual well-being on end-of-life despair in terminally-ill cancer patients
McClain, C. S., Rosenfeld, B., & Breitbart, W. (2003) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(03)13310-7 · Cited by 812 · see citing works
Dignity in the terminally ill: a developing empirical model
Chochinov, H. M., Hack, T., McClement, S., Kristjanson, L., & Harlos, M. (2002) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/s0277-9536(01)00084-3 · Cited by 733 · see citing works
Self-citationWill to live in the terminally ill
Chochinov, H. M., Tataryn, D., Clinch, J. J., & Dudgeon, D. (1999) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(99)80011-7 · Cited by 310 · see citing works
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The interpersonal theory of suicide.
Van Orden, K. A., Witte, T. K., Cukrowicz, K. C., Braithwaite, S. R., Selby, E. A., & Joiner, T. E. (2010) · Psychological Review · doi:10.1037/a0018697 · Cited by 5,292 · see citing works
Existential Suffering in the Palliative Care Setting: An Integrated Literature Review
Boston, P., Bruce, A., & Schreiber, R. (2011) · Journal of Pain and Symptom Management · doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2010.05.010 · Cited by 405 · see citing works
Treatment of existential distress in life threatening illness: A review of manualized interventions
LeMay, K., & Wilson, K. G. (2008) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2007.07.013 · Cited by 280 · see citing works
Feeling like a burden: Exploring the perspectives of patients at the end of life
McPherson, C. J., Wilson, K. G., & Murray, M. A. (2007) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2006.09.013 · Cited by 244 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Max Chochinov, H., Hack, T., Hassard, T., Kristjanson, L. J., McClement, S., & Harlos, M.
- Affiliations
- Edith Cowan University (AU)
- Venue
- Psychosomatics
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-01
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 7-10
- ISSN
- 0033-3182 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2134663856
- Cited by
- 171
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 7.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychosomatics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Online (Edith Cowan University) (submittedVersion)
- eSpace (Curtin University) (submittedVersion)
- Swinburne figshare (Swinburne University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- McGill University
- University of Manitoba
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Keywords
- will to live, terminal cancer, dying patients, existential suffering, hopelessness, human dignity, psychological distress, social distress, physical distress, palliative care
- MeSH terms
- Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Attitude to Death, Attitude to Health, Female, Humans, Interview, Psychological, Male, Middle Aged, Motivation, Neoplasms, Pain Measurement, Personality Inventory, Psychometrics, Quality of Life, Regression Analysis, Sick Role, Terminal Care, Volition, Sickness Impact Profile
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