The quality of dying and death of patients with cancer from Shanghai in China from the perspective of healthcare providers: A cross-sectional study

To evaluate the quality of dying and death among deceased patients with cancer in Shanghai from the perspective of healthcare providers. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Shanghai from April to July 2023. A convenience sample of 261 healthcare providers working at eight healthcare institutions participated. Each participant was asked to evaluate the quality of dying and death of one deceased patient who had been cared for recently using the Good Death Scale for patients in China (GDS-PCN). The scale included family companionship (eight items), dying with peace (six items), professional care (six items), preparation & no regrets (five items), maintaining dignity (four items), keeping autonomy (four items), and physical wellbeing (three items) seven dimensions, 36 items. The total GDS-PCN score was 144.11 ± 17.86. The professional care dimension scored the highest (4.21 ± 0.58), whereas the preparation and no regret dimension scored the lowest (3.75 ± 0.70). Significant differences in the GDS-PCN scores were based on the healthcare institution grade, ward type, hospitalization duration, communication about the condition, treatment, and death-related topics with the healthcare provider, and decision-making style (P