Psychoeducation about death with health professionals from an oncology outpatient clinic: quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Death is still considered a taboo in contemporary Western society that develops cultural practices that keep the experience of dying increasingly distant, impersonal and insti­tutionalized. Health professionals, despite being frequently in contact with this topic, often see it as a sign of incompetence. The fear of death is a matter of special interest to these profession­als, since by dealing with this experience in an appropriate way, they can offer more accurate care to patients, especially those in terminal conditions. Therefore, it is essential that these professionals develop clinical management skills, as well as empathic and emotional skills to deal with patients facing the risk of death, and thus, reduce the intensity of their own fears. The present study consists of an evaluation of a psychoeducation on death proposed in an online group carried out with health professionals from an oncology outpatient clinic. The study has a quasi-experimental design and compares the effects of psychoeducational intervention with professionals who were not submitted to the intervention. The change in fear of death was measured using the Collett-Lester Fear of Death Scale. Data suggest that psychoeducation was able to promote a reduction in fear of death.