COVID-19 brings a new urgency for advance care planning: Implications of death education

Colette A. McAfee, Timothy R. Jordan, Derek Cegelka, Mounika Polavarapu, Amy J. Wotring, Victoria R. Wagner-Greene, Zena Hamdan

2020Death Studies48 citationsDOI

Abstract

The U.S. has the highest number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases and deaths of any nation. Deaths due to COVID-19, especially among older adults and people of color, have created an urgency for advanced care planning (ACP). Despite benefits of ACP, only one-third of U.S. adults have completed advance directives, in part due to a lack of death education. We recommend four actions to increase death education and ACP completion: (1) integrate death education into teacher preparation programs, (2) incorporate death education in undergraduate curricula, (3) provide better education in death and dying to future health professionals, and (4) educate the public.

Topics & Concepts

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Advance care planningCurriculumPandemicDeath educationMedicine2019-20 coronavirus outbreakPublic educationPublic healthSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)GerontologyPsychologyNursingDiseasePalliative carePedagogyPolitical scienceInfectious disease (medical specialty)VirologyPublic administrationPathologyOutbreakPalliative Care and End-of-Life IssuesFamily and Patient Care in Intensive Care UnitsGrief, Bereavement, and Mental Health