News Release

New poll shows how little we know about dying

National campaign launched to encourage conversations about death

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Academy of Medical Sciences (UK)

  • Six in ten people answering feel they know little or nothing about the final hours of life.
  • More people get their understanding about dying from conversations with family and friends or personal experience, than from medical professionals.
  • People are most worried about loved ones being in pain or frightened in the final hours or minutes of life.
  • One third of the public opted not to answer questions about end of life, suggesting that the topic remains taboo for some.
  • The Academy of Medical Sciences launches new website, installation and public dialogue to empower the public to speak about this challenging topic.

New data released today (Thursday 9 May) shows that six in ten people answering feel they know, at most, "just a little" about what happens to a person in their final hours of life. This is despite one in two people who were asked saying they have been present with someone at the end of life.

The Academy of Medical Sciences worked with Ipsos MORI to survey 966 British adults aged 18+ through face-to-face interviews (of whom 612 answered the questions), as the Academy launches a new national campaign calling for us all to be better informed about death and dying, to understand public values when it comes to end of life care, and anticipate how medical science can help meet their wishes and needs.

Professor Sir Robert Lechler PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said:

"It is striking that six in ten people feel they know very little or nothing about what happens to a person at the end of life, despite half of people having been with someone when they died.

"People are as just as likely to get their information about what happens at the end of life from documentaries as they are from medical professionals, and just under half of people rely on conversations with friends and family. Without doubt this shows we need to do more to give people access to reliable information about what happens at the end of life and encourage conversations about this important topic.

"Not knowing what may happen to a loved one as they die can exacerbate fears at the hardest times of our life. It may also mean that people struggle to think clearly about how best to fulfil the wishes of a dying family member or friend, let alone know what to ask doctors and nurses."

Potential poll participants were informed of the survey subject matter and given the opportunity to opt out of answering these sensitive questions. An unexpected one in three participants chose not to answer the questions, suggesting that many people feel very uncomfortable talking about death. Challenging this taboo is at the heart of the Academy's national campaign.

The poll also revealed that those who know at least a little about what happens at the end of life are as likely to get their information about what happens at the end of life from documentaries (20%) as they are from medical professionals (22%). Interestingly, information from films, dramas and soaps (16%) also falls in the top 5 sources of information. The most common sources of information come from conversations with family and friends (42%) and personal experience of being with someone in the final hours/minutes of their life (33%).

Professor Dame Lesley Fallowfield FMedSci, Professor of Psycho Oncology, University of Sussex, said:

"TV and films rarely ever depict 'normal' deaths. For many individuals, death is a gentle, peaceful and pain-free event. Although grieving the loss of loved ones can be a difficult process, some people do speak about their loved one's death as having been a positive experience. We need to demystify death and talk about it more."

The biggest concern for members of the public about being with someone as they died is that they would be in pain, with 62% of people identifying this as their biggest worry. 52% of people were concerned the person dying may be frightened, and 40% were worried that the person dying might be panicked.

The Academy is opening an innovative new pop up installation in Lewisham Shopping Centre [open to the public for one month from 10 May] called The Departure Lounge, where the public can come and learn more about the end of life in an enticing and stimulating space. The pop up shop combines the metaphor of travel with findings from medical science and personal stories from the end of life to explore what it means to die well and empower the public to talk more openly about death and dying.

The conversation will be expanded nationally via a website [live 9 May] and digital campaign as well as 30 smaller versions of The Departure Lounge popping up across the UK. The Academy will be working with Ipsos MORI to get further public views to feed into a long term policy project which will seek to ensure that medical and health research and policy around end of life care, death and dying reflects what people consider to be important.

Dr Katherine Sleeman, NIHR Clinician Scientist and Honorary Consultant in palliative medicine, Cicely Saunders Institute at King's College London, said:

"Many people don't know much about what palliative or hospice care involves, and some people worry that starting conversations about end of life care might hasten death. In fact, the opposite may be true - research shows the earlier people access specialist palliative care the better their quality of life, and some studies have shown that people who receive early specialist palliative care actually live longer."

Dying Matters is a good source of information for people who want to know more about what happens in the hours and days of life and what symptoms may represent the end of life [see notes to editors for resources].

The project was developed by the Academy of Medical Sciences in partnership with public engagement specialists The Liminal Space, and was supported by The Health Foundation and Wellcome Trust. The project launch is timed to coincide with Dying Matters Awareness week (13-19 May 2019).

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For more information please contact:

Naomi Clarke, Senior Communications Officer, Academy of Medical Sciences
020 3141 3208, 07903 158979 or 07969 082520, naomi.clarke@acmedsci.ac.uk

Please contact Naomi if you want to visit the installation, access further photographs and a digital press pack, and request interviews with The Departure Lounge spokespeople.

Notes for Editors

    1. The Academy of Medical Sciences is the independent body in the UK representing the diversity of medical science. Our elected Fellows are the UK's leading medical scientists from hospitals, academia, industry and the public service. Our mission is to advance biomedical and health research and its translation into benefits for society. We are working to secure a future in which:

    • UK and global health is improved by the best research.
    • The UK leads the world in biomedical and health research, and is renowned for the quality of its research outputs, talent and collaborations.
    • Independent, high quality medical science advice informs the decisions that affect society.
    • More people have a say in the future of health and research.

      Our work focusses on four key objectives, promoting excellence, developing talented researchers, influencing research and policy and engaging patients, the public and professionals.
      https://acmedsci.ac.uk

    2. The Liminal Space uses art and design to create ground-breaking experiences that transform what people think, feel and do. A unique consultancy that brings together the rigour of a think tank with the creativity of a cross-disciplinary design studio. Their projects translate complex social issues into tangible objects and spaces that people can immerse themselves to deepen their understanding and inspire action.
    http://www.the-liminal-space.com

    3. Ipsos MORI: a global market and opinion research specialist. For further information please contact Mike Clemence, Research Manager at Ipsos MORI, Michael.clemence@ipsos.com, 020 7347 3484.

    Technical Note:
    Ipsos MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 966 British adults aged 18+ between 5 and 14 April 2019. Interviews were carried out face-to-face using Ipsos MORI's "capibus" omnibus survey. Data is weighted to match the profile of the population. Full data tables are available from the Ipsos MORI website.

    In line with the principles of informed consent, participants were given the opportunity not to answer questions on this sensitive topic. A screener question was asked ahead of the module giving some background and asking if participants were happy to answer questions on this topic. Those who were not (35% of the whole sample) were not asked any

    In total, 612 participants answered the questions in this section. Those who chose not to tended to be older, in social grades C2 and DE, and with fewer forma educational qualifications.

    5. Project supporters: The Departure Lounge is supported by The Health Foundation and Wellcome Trust. The Academy is also grateful for funding from a core grant from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy that was also used to support this project.

    The Health Foundation is an independent charity committed to bringing about better health and health care for people in the UK. For further information contact Grace Everest, External Affairs Manager, Grace.Everest@health.org.uk.

    Wellcome exists to improve health by helping great ideas to thrive. For further information contact Claire Ryan, Head of Media c.ryan@wellcome.ac.uk 020 7611 7262

    6. Events: The Academy has also organised events linked to the project to be held in Lewisham. On Thursday 16 May, 'Dead Beats' will take a light-hearted look at funeral music choices at Old Tigers Head pub, 351 Lee High Road, Blackheath, London SE12 8RU The event is free and tickets are available at Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dead-beats-tickets-7945973621. Another event at the end of May will explore how to have a good digital death. Local community groups will also be using the space as a meeting point, including Lewisham Pensioners' Forum and the Rushey Green Time Bank.

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