Patients' absolute ranking of importance of factors linked to a ‘good death’ (ie, top five rankings)
| Factor | Ranked first (n=114)* | Ranked second (n=114)* | Ranked third (n=114)* | Ranked fourth (n=114)* | Ranked fifth (n=114)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| To have my pain/symptoms well controlled | 36 (32) | 17 (15) | 23 (20) | 14 (12) | 6 (5) |
| To not be a burden to my family | 18 (16) | 29 (25) | 19 (17) | 9 (8) | 13 (11) |
| To feel my life is complete | 14 (12) | 9 (8) | 3 (3) | 11 (10) | 14 (12) |
| To be at peace with my God | 13 (11) | 8 (7) | 5 (4) | 3 (3) | 6 (5) |
| To have sorted out my personal affairs | 12 (10) | 14 (12) | 20 (18) | 13 (11) | 19 (17) |
| To be able to die at home | 9 (8) | 3 (3) | 5 (4) | 12 (10) | 11 (10) |
| To be mentally alert (until death) | 9 (8) | 18 (16) | 14 (12) | 17 (15) | 16 (14) |
| To be involved in decisions about my care | 3 (3) | 11 (10) | 20 (18) | 21 (19) | 18 (16) |
| To have sorted out my funeral arrangements | 0 (0) | 4 (3) | 4 (3) | 10 (9) | 7 (7) |
| To not be a burden to society | 0 (0) | 1 (1) | 1 (1) | 4 (3) | 4 (3) |
Results are shown as number (%).
↵* Six patients declined to answer this question.