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Purpose: The purposes of this study were to explore the effects of family cohesion and subjective happiness on death anxiety of Korean elders and to identify other factors contributing to death anxiety., Methods: The participants were 280 elders who lived in P metropolitan city. Data were collected between November 5, 2011 and January 12, 2012 using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), Family Cohesion Evaluation Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale, and Fear of Death Scale (FODS). Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 19.0 program., Results: Family cohesion, marital status, religious activity, perceived health status, and subjective happiness were included in the factors affecting death anxiety of Korean elders. These variables explained 50.1% of death anxiety., Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that these variables should be considered in developing nursing intervention programs to decrease death anxiety and increase family cohesion and subjective happiness for life integration in Korean elders.

Purpose: The study was done to develop a shared decision-making scale for end-of-life patients in Korea., Methods: The process included construction of a conceptual framework, generation of initial items, verification of content validity, selection of secondary items, preliminary study, and extraction of final items. The participants were 388 adults who lived in one of 3 Korean metropolitan cities: Seoul, Daegu, or Busan. Item analysis, factor analysis, criterion related validity, and internal consistency were used to analyze the data. Data collection was done from July to October 2011., Results: Thirty-four items were selected for the final scale, and categorized into 7 factors explaining 61.9% of the total variance. The factors were labeled as sharing information (9 items), constructing system (7 items), explanation as a duty (5 items), autonomy (4 items), capturing time (3 items), participation of family (3 items), and human respect (3 items). The scores for the scale were significantly correlated among shared decision-making scale, terminating life support scale, and dignified dying scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the 34 items was .94., Conclusion: The above findings indicate that the shared decision-making scale has a good validity and reliability when used for end-of-life patients in Korea.

Purpose: The study was done to develop a dignified dying scale for Korean adults., Methods: The process included construction of a conceptual framework, generation of initial items, verification of content validity, selection of secondary items, preliminary study, and extraction of final items. The participants were 428 adults who lived in one of 3 Korean metropolitan cities: Seoul, Daegu, and Busan. Item analysis, factor analysis, criterion related validity, and internal consistency were used to analyze the data. Data collection was done from March to June 2010., Results: Thirty items were selected for the final scale, and categorized into 5 factors explaining 54.5% of the total variance. The factors were labeled as maintaining emotional comfort (10 items), arranging social relationship (9 items), avoiding suffering (3 items), maintaining autonomous decision making (4 items), and role preservation (4 items). The scores for the scale were significantly correlated with personal meanings of death scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the 30 items was .92., Conclusion: The above findings indicate that the dignified dying scale has a good validity and reliability when used with Korean adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of life satisfaction and the significant factors which impact on life satisfaction of young-old (60-69 yr), old (70-79 yr), and oldest-old (80 yr or above) women., Methods: The participants for this study were 289 elderly Korean women living in the city of Daegu and Kyongpook province. The data were collected using structured questionnaires. ANOVA, Chi-square, and multiple regression with the SPSS program were used to analyze the data., Results: There were statistically significant differences among young-old, old, and oldest-old women regarding the existence of spouse, income, educational status, and religions. The model including variables related to physical, psychological, financial, and social aspects of life, explained variance of life satisfaction of elderly women differently, such as 55% of young-old, 37% of old, and 66% of oldest-old. Finally, self-esteem was the only predictor in explaining the level of life satisfaction among old women regardless age., Conclusion: Based on the findings of the study, implications for practical services for elderly women and recommendations of further study are provided. Nursing interventions should be developed to improve life satisfaction of elderly women according to age differences.