Ágnes Zana

Attitudes toward death in Hungary using the multidimensional fear of death scale

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the attitudes displayed towards death by the youth and their mental health in the Hungarian population and to compare the results to data published in the literature. Our goal was to examine changes in the way youth conceived death, furthermore to examine the way youth perceived their own death within a small generational comparison study. Methods In order to measure the degree and possible dimensions of the fear of death in Hungarian young the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS) was used. The samples came from different socio-economic groups in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Results The two highest anxiety factors were Fear for Significant Others and Fear of the Dying Process in all the examined groups. A significant difference in the overall fear of death was detected between the young and middle aged groups (p = 0.000) but the most characteristic difference was found between the young and older age groups....

Impact of animal-assisted intervention on rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury

INTRODUCTION The animal-assisted programs represent an interdisciplinary approach. They can be integrated into preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitative processes as complementary methods. AIM The aim of the study was to promote the psychological adaptation and social reintegration of patients who suffered spinal cord injury, as well as reducing depression and feelings of isolation caused by the long hospitalization. The hypothesis of the authors was that the animal-assisted intervention method can be effectively inserted into the rehabilitation process of individuals with spinal cord injury as complementary therapy. METHODS 15 adults with spinal cord injury participated in the five-week program, twice a week. Participants first filled out a questionnaire on socio-demographics, and after completion of the program they participated in a short, directed interview with open questions. During the field-work, after observing the participants, qualitative data analysis was performed. RESULTS The results suggest that the therapeutic animal induced a positive effect on the emotional state of the patients. Participants acquired new skills and knowledge, socialization and group cohesion had been improved. CONCLUSIONS The authors conclude that the animal-assisted activity complemented by therapeutic elements can be beneficial in patients undergoing spinal cord injury rehabilitation and that knowledge obtained from the study can be helpful in the development of a future animal-assisted therapy program for spinal cord injury patients.

Az állatasszisztált intervenció hatása gerincvelősérült személyek rehabilitációjában

INTRODUCTION The animal-assisted programs represent an interdisciplinary approach. They can be integrated into preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitative processes as complementary methods. AIM The aim of the study was to promote the psychological adaptation and social reintegration of patients who suffered spinal cord injury, as well as reducing depression and feelings of isolation caused by the long hospitalization. The hypothesis of the authors was that the animal-assisted intervention method can be effectively inserted into the rehabilitation process of individuals with spinal cord injury as complementary therapy. METHODS 15 adults with spinal cord injury participated in the five-week program, twice a week. Participants first filled out a questionnaire on socio-demographics, and after completion of the program they participated in a short, directed interview with open questions. During the field-work, after observing the participants, qualitative data analysis was performed. RESULTS The results suggest that the therapeutic animal induced a positive effect on the emotional state of the patients. Participants acquired new skills and knowledge, socialization and group cohesion had been improved. CONCLUSIONS The authors conclude that the animal-assisted activity complemented by therapeutic elements can be beneficial in patients undergoing spinal cord injury rehabilitation and that knowledge obtained from the study can be helpful in the development of a future animal-assisted therapy program for spinal cord injury patients.

Is profession associated with fear of death

Bevezetes: A halaltol valo felelem es a foglalkozas kozotti kapcsolatrol viszonylag keves szakirodalmi adat all rendelkezesre. Celkitűzes: A szerzők a foglalkozas es a halalfelelem osszefuggeseinek vizsgalatat tűztek ki celul. Modszer: Orvosok, orvostanhallgatok es egyeb egeszsegugyi dolgozok, lelkeszek, pszichologusok es egyeb, nem egeszsegugyi dolgozok (N = 1062) halallal kapcsolatos attitűdjeit elemeztek a Multidimenzionalis Halalfelelem Skala segitsegevel. Eredmenyek: Szignifikans kulonbsegeket talaltak az osszesitett halalfelelem-pontszam tekinteteben, valamint egyes vizsgalt csoportok eseteben is a halalfelelem kulonboző faktorait illetően. A halalfelelem a lelkeszek koreben volt a legalacsonyabb. A holttesttől valo felelem a pszichologusoknal es a nem egeszsegugyi dolgozoknal volt a legmagasabb, akiknek nincs kozvetlen tapasztalatuk holttesttel, illetve haldoklokkal. Kovetkeztetesek: Ugy tűnik, hogy a halalfelelem olyan foglalkozasi csoportok tagjaira jellemző elsősorban, akik nem foglalkoznak kozv...

[Attitude to death and changes of death image in Hungarian society. Study of the differences in generational value-judgments and of the possibilities of measurement. Is death still a taboo?].

The aim of our research is to examine the sociological, anthropological, and psychological aspects of attitudes towards death; review the different approaches as a complex system; present the altered death image and the changes of tendency; analyze and interpret the most significant anxiety generating factors according to gender, age, and occupation; validate the fear of death and attitudes towards death scales in the Hungarian population; review the possibilities of interventions designed to reduce anxiety generating fear of death. Our hypotheses of our quantitative research were the following: women are characterized by a marked fear of death and anxiety; young people are more afraid of death; health care workers have a higher level death anxiety in comparison to other professionals due to the fact that they are face the suddenness and inevitability of death on daily basis, and this itself is an anxiety generating factor. We validated, adapted and calibrated two psychometric scales measuring fear of death and attitudes towards death. According to our findings, both the Neimeyer and Moore Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale and the Lester Attitude Toward Death Scale proved valid and suitable for measuring fear of death and attitudes towards death. The Hungarian version of the scales proved reliable. In accordance with our hypothesis, young people and women are characterized by higher level of fear of death and anxiety. Our hypothesis, namely that fear of death among health care workers higher as the normal population, was not confirmed. Yet, contrary to a segment of preceding measurements, lower level of fear and anxiety was found.

Death attitude and changes of death image in the Hungarian society. Examination of generational value-judgment and possibilities of measurement. Is death still a taboo?

The aim of our research is to examine the sociological, anthropological, and psychological aspects of attitudes towards death; review the different approaches as a complex system; present the altered death image and the changes of tendency; analyze and interpret the most significant anxiety generating factors according to gender, age, and occupation; validate the fear of death and attitudes towards death scales in the Hungarian population; review the possibilities of interventions designed to reduce anxiety generating fear of death. Our hypotheses of our quantitative research were the following: women are characterized by a marked fear of death and anxiety; young people are more afraid of death; health care workers have a higher level death anxiety in comparison to other professionals due to the fact that they are face the suddenness and inevitability of death on daily basis, and this itself is an anxiety generating factor. We validated, adapted and calibrated two psychometric scales measuring fear of death and attitudes towards death. According to our findings, both the Neimeyer and Moore Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale and the Lester Attitude Toward Death Scale proved valid and suitable for measuring fear of death and attitudes towards death. The Hungarian version of the scales proved reliable. In accordance with our hypothesis, young people and women are characterized by higher level of fear of death and anxiety. Our hypothesis, namely that fear of death among health care workers higher as the normal population, was not confirmed. Yet, contrary to a segment of preceding measurements, lower level of fear and anxiety was found.

The development and change of death image in Hungary. Differences in value judgement according to age and analysis of possible measurement methods. Is death still a taboo

Abstract The aim of our research is to examine the sociological, anthropological, and psychological aspects of attitudes towards death, respectively reviewing the various approaches as a complex system; presenting the altered death image, respectively the change tendency, analysing and interpreting the most significant anxiety generating factors according to gender, age, and occupation; validating the fear of death and attitudes towards death scales in the Hungarian population; reviewing the possibilities for interventions designed to reduce anxiety generating fear of death. According to the hypotheses of our quantitative research, women are characterised by a marked fear of death and anxiety; young people are more afraid of death; health care workers have a higher level death anxiety in comparison to other professionals due to the fact that they face the suddenness and inevitability of death on a daily basis, and this in itself is an anxiety generating factor. For the psychometric measurement of fear of ...

A qualitative study of culturally embedded factors in complementary and alternative medicine use

BackgroundWithin the intercultural milieu of medical pluralism, a nexus of worldviews espousing distinct explanatory models of illness, our research aims at exploring factors leading to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use with special attention to their cultural context.MethodsThe results are based on medical anthropological fieldwork (participant observation and in-depth interviews) spanning a period from January 2015 to May 2017 at four clinics of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Budapest, Hungary. Participant observation involved 105 patients (males N = 42); in-depth interviews were conducted with patients (N = 9) and practitioners (N = 9). The interviews were coded with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis; all information was aggregated employing Atlas.ti software.ResultsIn order to avoid the dichotomization of “push and pull factors,” results obtained from the fieldwork and interviews were structured along milestones of the patient journey. These points of reference include orientation among sources of information, biomedical diagnosis, patient expectations and the physician-patient relationship, the biomedical treatment trajectory and reasons for non-adherence, philosophical congruence, and alternate routes of entry into the world of CAM. All discussed points which are a departure from the strictly western therapy, entail an underlying socio-cultural disposition and must be scrutinized in this context.ConclusionsThe influence of one’s culturally determined explanatory model is ubiquitous from the onset of the patient journey and exhibits a reciprocal relationship with subjective experience. Firsthand experience (or that of the Other) signifies the most reliable source of information in matters of illness and choice of therapy. Furthermore, the theme of (building and losing) trust is present throughout the patient journey, a determining factor in patient decision-making and dispositions toward both CAM and biomedicine.

A túlélők mindennapjai. A hospice-ellátásban dolgozók életminősége

Introduction Each year, the number of hospice services and terminally ill patients increase while the number of hospice workers is falling. The intensification of the physical and mental burdens of the latter can lead to burnout and the fluctuation of the workers. Aim The aim of the authors was to survey the physical and mental state of hospice workers, as well as the risk of burnout and coping strategies. Method A questionnaire survey in hospice experts and volunteers (n ≈ 1500) based on the Hungarostudy survey was performed. Results Those who filled in the questionnaire (n = 195) had on average 1.86 workplaces and 45.8% of them reported working 12 or more hours a day. Most often, they suffered from lack of energy (65.1%), disturbing physical pain (46.9%), sleeping (56.9%) and digestion (35%), they considered themselves overweight (56.9%) and they were occupied with work problems even at bedtime (72.8%). Conclusions Hospice workers are overloaded, they have physical and mental symptoms and they are characterized by compassion fatigue. At the same time, they are also characterized by compassion satisfaction as an ability to accept appreciation for the caretaking.

A komplementer és alternatív medicina felé orientálódó terápiaválasztást meghatározó tényezők

Absztrakt Bevezetes: A komplementer es alternativ medicina egeszsegugyi piacon tortenő ternyerese megkerdőjelezhetetlen, fontos kerdes tehat, hogy a betegek miert valasztjak az ilyen gyogymodokat, ezzel gyakran megszakitva a nyugati medicina kereteben zajlo terapias folyamatot. Celkitűzes: A szerzők celja azoknak a tenyezőknek a felterkepezese es elemzese, amelyek miatt a betegek a kulonboző alternativ medicinak szolgaltatasait igenybe veszik. Modszer: A kvalitativ kutatas alapja egy hagyomanyos kinai orvoslast nyujto rendelőben vegzett orvosi antropologiai terepmunka: resztvevő megfigyeles (355 ora), strukturalatlan interjuk betegekkel (n = 93) es melyinterjuk (n = 14). Eredmenyek: Az alternativ medicinat alkalmazo betegek gyakran nem kapnak a nyugati orvoslastol diagnozist, magyarazatot vagy gyogymodot betegsegukre, illetve ezek valamelyike a beteg szamara nem volt elfogadhato. Maskor a betegek azert valasztjak az alternativ medicinat, mert filozofiai kongruenciat mutat olyan vilag-, ember- es betegsegk...INTRODUCTION Complementary and alternative medicine have undoubtedly been gaining ground on the healthcare market, thus the vital question arises why patients choose these treatments, oftentimes at the cost of discontinuing the Western medical therapy. AIM The aim of the authors was to investigate and scrutinize factors leading to the utilization of various alternative medical services. METHOD The basis of this qualitative research was medical anthropological fieldwork conducted at a clinic of Traditional Chinese Medicine including participant observation (355 hours), unstructured interviews with patients (n = 93) and in-depth interviews (n = 14). RESULTS Patients of alternative medical systems often do not receive a diagnosis, explanation or cure for their illness from Western medicine, or they do not agree with what they are offered. In other instances, patients choose alternative medicine because it exhibits a philosophical congruence with their already existing explanatory model, that is, previous concepts of world, man or illness. CONCLUSIONS A particular therapy is always part of a cultural system and it is embedded in a specific psycho-social context, hence choice of therapy must be interpreted in accordance with this perspective.