Values underlying end-of-life decisions: A qualitative approach

The purpose of the study discussed in this article was to reveal the values that would receive priority attention when considering end-of-life decisions. Nineteen elderly Israelis and their 28 family members participated in individual interviews that were analyzed using a hermeneutic phenomenological method. Analysis of the transcripts indicated that participants considered a unique set of value priorities that raised different considerations in each of four domains of life: physical-biological, social psychological, familial, and societal. Three transcendent values crossed all four life domains: dignity, quality of life, and quality of death. These value considerations are useful information for social workers who consult patients and family members at times of end-of-life decisions.