PRIMERA ITERACIÓN

• Is there a rural attitude to death and dying which would impact on the implementation of palliative care services in a rural area?

• Is there a lack of knowledge and understanding of palliative care in rural areas?

The Questionnaire

Of the 40 metropolitan questionnaires distributed during the actual field study, fourteen were completed and returned (N=14). In order to identify a ‘rural attitude’, the survey was then conducted in the designated rural area using a sample of 30 ageing members from the University of the Third Aged (Gippsland). The response was (N=13). Twenty questionnaires were also distributed to participants who responded to an invitation for volunteers from Victoria University who were born between 1945 and 1965. The response to these questionnaires was (N=17).

In total (N=44) questionnaire responses from both rural and urban participants were compared using the SPSS computer program (version 11) for analysis. Ten questions were listed to which respondents were asked to indicate their response using Likert-Scale ratings of strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree, strongly disagree:

1) People who are dying should go to a hospital

3) Services for the aged are a luxury for aged people who live in rural areas

4) Aged people have limited access to health services in rural areas 5) People residing in a rural area cope well with death and dying 6) The aged dying person does not need access to health services 7) People who are dying because of old age do not suffer

8) People residing in a rural area support each other in times of need 9) Aged people who live in rural areas are more independent than aged

people in city areas

10) Aged people who are dealing with death and dying do not see the need for health services.

The following variables were further used to group data as provided by demographic data in the research questionnaire. Chi-Square tests were used to determine associations between:

a) current location, b) location of birth,

c) transition of birth place?

d) Awareness of aged care services in your area?

e) Awareness of services for people who are dying in your area? f) those above and below the age of 65

The following figures represent the overall percentage of questionnaire responses from all groups (N=44) for each question.

Question 1 – “people who are dying should go to a hospital”.

Figure 5. Responses to Question 1 from rural and urban participants

Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly

Disagree People who are dying should go to a hospital 0 10 20 30 40 P er cen t

People who are dying should go to a hospital

As shown in Figure 5, 72% of people were either undecided or disagreed with the statement. This was an expected response given the current propensity of people to choose to die at home.

Question 2 – “there is nothing that can be done for the aged and dying.” Figure 6. Question 2 responses from rural and urban participants

Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Pe rc en t

Theres nothing that can be done for the aged and dying

The majority of people (58%) strongly disagreed and (38%) disagreed with the statement “there is nothing that can be done for the aged and dying”.

Question 3 – “Services for the aged and dying are a luxury for aged people who live in rural areas.”

Figure 7. Question 3 responses from rural and urban participants

Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly

Disagree

Services for the aged and dying are a luxury for aged people who live in rural areas

0 10 20 30 40 50 P er cen t

Services for the aged and dying are a luxury for aged people who live in rural areas

Most people (43%) strongly disagreed with this statement, and (25%) disagreed.

Question 4 – “Aged people have limited access to health services in rural areas.” As shown in Figure 8, as many people were undecided as those who agreed. A more expected response to this question would have been that people tended to agree with an existing issue of access in rural areas.

Figure 8 Question 4 responses from rural and urban participants

Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree

Aged people have limited access to health services in rural areas 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Pe rc en t

Aged people have limited access to health services in rural areas

Question 5 – “People residing in a rural area cope well with death and dying.”

Figure 9 Question 5 responses from rural and urban participants

Strongly Agree Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree

People residing in a rural area cope well with death and dying

0 10 20 30 40 50 Pe rc en t

People residing in a rural area cope well with death and dying

The majority (75%) of respondents were undecided or disagreed with this statement. An expected response to this question was that in determining a ‘rural attitude’ to death and dying respondents would have tended to agree with the statement.

Question 6 – “The aged dying person does not need access to health services.”

Figure 10. Question 6 responses from rural and urban participants

Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

The aged dying person does not need access to health services 0 20 40 60 80 P er cen t

The aged dying person does not need access to health services

Figure 10 shows that 70% of respondents strongly disagree with this statement.

Question 7 – “People who are dying because of old age do not suffer.” As shown in Figure 11 most people tended to disagree with this statement.

Figure 11 Question 7 responses from urban and rural participants

Strongly Agree Undecided Disagree Strongly Disagree

People who are dying because of old age do not suffer

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 P er cen t

People who are dying because of old age do not suffer

Question 8- “People residing in a rural area support each other in times