The ideal path to a good death: An international meta-synthesis of rural residents’ perspectives

Background: Rural areas frequently encounter restricted access to healthcare and end-of-life services. Given current pressing realities, understanding their unique perspectives on what constitutes a good death is essential. Existing research has largely overlooked the voices of rural residents. Aim: To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of rural residents’ expectations regarding a good death. Design: A meta-synthesis. By exploring the logic within relevant content, the stages of the life course serve as the framework for integration. Data sources: PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL (EBSCO), PsycINFO (EBSCO), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WanFang, and China Biology Medicine disc (CBM) were systematically searched from their inception to May 2023. Result: Of the 1100 articles retrieved, 8 studies were included. This paper outlines “the path to a rural good death”: (1) When death is perceived as distant: acknowledge its inevitability while striving to achieve a successful and complete life journey. (2) As death approaches: maintain composure and have the capacity and support to face it. (3) When death truly arrives: depart in an envisioned scenario. (4) What’s left behind: be properly arranged. Conclusion: The essential characteristics of a rural good death align with previous interpretations. However, distinct aspects emerge: communities play a significant role, characterized by reciprocal relationships; the role of medicine is less emphasized; and “rurality” deeply shapes residents’ expectations of a good death. The pathway to a good death presented in this article is aspirational, requiring collaborative efforts to make it a tangible reality.