이 연구는 마음챙김을 기반으로 한 명상 프로그램을 말기 암 환자에게 실시하여 마음챙김의 주의 자각이 환자들의 죽음에 대한 불안감 감소에 미치는 효과를 검증하고자 하였다. 연구방법은 단일집단 사전-사후검사 설계를 바탕으로, 부산 소재 D병원에서 항암과 방사선 치료를 받고 있는 말기 암 환자들에게 마음챙김 명상 프로그램을 주 1회 1시간 30분씩 5 회기를 실시하였으며, 효과성에 대한 검증을 살펴보기 위해 비모수 검정 인 Wilcoxon Signed-Test로 분석하였다. 연구의 결과 마음챙김 명상 프로그램이 연구 참여자들의 주의 자각을 향상시킴으로써 참여자들의 죽 음에 대한 불안감을 감소시키는데 효과가 있음이 입증되었다. 결론 및 제언으로 마음챙김 명상 훈련을 통해 말기 암 환자들의 죽음에 대한 불 안감을 감소시킬 수 있다는 본 연구의 결과를 바탕으로 말기 암 환자들 의 불안감 감소가 지속적으로 유지될 수 있는 시스템의 구축과 꾸준히 마음챙김 명상 프로그램을 활용한 연구가 진행되기를 제언하였다.

Purpose: The aims of the study were to explore caregiving burden and quality of life (QOL) and to identify factors affecting QOL of family members of terminal cancer patients from hospice palliative care center. Methods: Survey was performed using structured questionnaires measuring caregiving burden and QOL. To collect data, family members from 6 hospice palliative care facilities were recruited from July to September 2018. During that period, survey questionnaires were distributed and collected and total 140 study respondents participated in the survey. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 23.0 and descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, correlation coefficient, stepwise multiple regression analysis were performed as appropriate. Results: Caregiving burden and QOL score were 2.83 and 3.23 out of 5 point respectively. Factors affecting QOL were emotional burden (β = -0.35, p <.001), perceived health status (β = 0.23, p <.001), family support (β = 0.23, p <.001), age (β = -0.19, p <.003), economic burden (β = -0.16, p <.020), education (β=0.13 p<.033). Conclusion: Study results suggest that the lower caregiving burden, the higher QOL level of family members of terminal cancer patients. Since QOL of family members was affected by various factors, efforts to promote QOL through alleviating caregiving burden are required.

This study aimed to evaluate the role of D-dimer in terminal cancer patients. Among 343 incurable cancer patients, only 4 patients (2.8%) had normal D-dimer levels, and the majority (n=115, 81.0%) had levels >2.0 μg/mL. The survival time was significantly differed according to D-dimer levels with a median of 48 days when D-dimer levels were <2 μg/mL and 19 days when D-dimer levels were higher. D-dimer levels were negatively correlated with survival according to Spearman’s rank correlation analysis (coefficient -0.335, p<0.001). In terminal cancer patients, D-dimer concentrations did exhibit prog-nostic significance.