Seeking and Accepting: U.S. Clergy Theological and Moral Perspectives Informing Decision Making at the End of Life.

ABSTRACT:

Background

People with serious illness frequently rely on religion/spirituality to cope with their diagnosis, with potentially positive and negative consequences. Clergy are uniquely positioned to help patients consider medical decisions at or near the end of life within a religious/spiritual framework.

Objective

We aimed to examine clergy knowledge of end-of-life (EOL) care and beliefs about the role of faith in EOL decision making for patients with serious illness.

Design

Key informant interviews, focus groups, and survey.

Setting/subjects

A purposive sample of 35 active clergy in five U.S. states as part of the National Clergy End-of-Life Project.

Measurement

We assessed participant knowledge of and desire for further education about EOL care. We tran

SUBMITTER: Sanders JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5647498 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature