Burial or cremation? Factors associated with preferences among patients with cancer in Brazil

a cross-sectional study

Authors

Keywords:

Death, cremation, burial

Abstract

BACKGROUND: People living with life-limiting illnesses and their family caregivers consistently emphasize the importance of preparing for imminent death, with planned funerals being a common aspect of this preparation. Few studies have described the funeral rituals or post-mortem preferences of patients with cancer. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the percentage of patients with cancer who wish to be cremated and to identify the factors associated with this preference. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study conducted at Barretos Cancer Hospital. METHODS: A total of 220 patients with cancer completed a Sociodemographic and Clinical Questionnaire, the Duke University Religiosity Index, and burial or cremation preferences. Binary Logistic Regression was performed to identify independent variables associated with cremation. RESULTS: Of the 220 patients, 25.0% preferred cremation and 71.4% preferred burial. Talks about death with family or close friends in their daily life (odds ratio, OR = 2.89; P = 0.021), patients that answered “other” (unsure, tends not be true and not true) for religious beliefs are what really lie behind my whole approach to life (OR = 20.34; P = 0.005), and education 9 to 11 years (OR = 3.15; P = 0.019) or ≥ 12 years (OR = 3.18; P = 0.024) were associated with cremation preference. CONCLUSION: Most patients with Cancer in Brazil prefer burial after death. Discussions about death, religious beliefs and involvement, and educational level seem to influence the preference for cremation. A deeper understanding of ritual funeral preferences and their associated factors may guide policies, services, and health teams in promoting the quality of dying and death.

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Author Biographies

Bianca Sakamoto Ribeiro Paiva, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos

PhD. Nurse, Researcher and Professor, Oncology Graduate Program, Grupo de Pesquisa em Cuidados Paliativos e Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde (GPQual), Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Barretos (SP), Brazil.

Bruna Minto Lourenço, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos

BM. Undergraduate Psychology Student, Oncology Graduate Program, Grupo de Pesquisa em Cuidados Paliativos e Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde (GPQual), Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Barretos (SP), Brazil.

Henrique Moraes Prata, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos

PhD. Lawyer, Oncology Graduate Program, Grupo de Pesquisa em Cuidados Paliativos e Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde (GPQual), Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Barretos (SP), Brazil.

Talita Caroline de Oliveira Valentino, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos

Doctoral Student and Nurse, Oncology Graduate Program, Grupo de Pesquisa em Cuidados Paliativos e Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde (GPQual), Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Barretos (SP), Brazil.

Marco Antonio de Oliveira, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos

MSc. Biostatistics, Learning and Research Institute, Grupo de Pesquisa em Cuidados Paliativos e Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde (GPQual), Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Barretos (SP), Brazil.

Martins Fideles dos Santos Neto, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos

MSc. Librarian, Oncology Graduate Program, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde de Barretos Dr. Paulo Prata (FACISB), Barretos (SP), Brazil; Grupo de Pesquisa em Cuidados Paliativos e Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde (GPQual), Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Barretos (SP), Brazil.

Eduardo Bruera, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos

MD. Physician, Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (TX), United States.

Carlos Eduardo Paiva, Hospital de Câncer de Barretos

PhD. Physician and Professor, Postgraduation, Grupo de Pesquisa em Cuidados Paliativos e Qualidade de Vida Relacionada à Saúde (GPQual), Hospital de Câncer de Barretos, Barretos (SP), Brazil.

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Published

2023-10-05

How to Cite

1.
Paiva BSR, Lourenço BM, Prata HM, Valentino TC de O, Oliveira MA de, Santos Neto MF dos, Bruera E, Paiva CE. Burial or cremation? Factors associated with preferences among patients with cancer in Brazil: a cross-sectional study. Sao Paulo Med J [Internet]. 2023 Oct. 5 [cited 2025 Feb. 7];141(6):1-6. Available from: https://periodicosapm.emnuvens.com.br/spmj/article/view/359

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Original Article