Abstract

The reference study was performed to describe the trend and characteristics & studies related to dying and death of the elderly. The data were collected from 44 article in foreign literature. There results were as follows: 1. The research subjects related to the ares of dying and death of the elderly were death(death attitude, death anxiety), suicide, morbidity and mortality, dying(ethics at the end of life, right-to-die), and bereavement etc. 2. The selected studies were published in 24 health related Journal, including Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, American Journal of Psychiatry, Japanese Journal of Geriatrics, and International Psychogeriatrics, etc. 3. The published year of the article was between 1992 and 1996. 4. The frequently used research designs were survey, cohort study(retrospective study), records analysis, review, case studies and epidemiologic studies. 5. Questionnaires, medical records, interview, review, case studies, observation, and test were mainly used for the data collection for the selected studies.