Harvey Max Chochinov
Biographic Data
| ID | 1731012 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Harvey Max Chochinov |
| GIVEN NAMES | Harvey Max |
| FAMILY NAME | Chochinov |
| SIGNATURE | CHOCHINOV H M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Manitoba |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2656-4704 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 60 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 19 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2002 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
There is no dignity in this”
The COVID-19 pandemic changed every aspect of how families managed the experience of dying loved ones. This Canadian study enrolled 24 immediate family members of patients who died of any cause during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Participants were interviewed, exploring their experiences from before hospitalization to death and bereavement including dignity related concerns. A qualitative study design rooted in constructivist grounded theory met…
Together, alone
The COVID-19 pandemic caused profound distortions in how deaths were marked by those left to mourn their passing. Public health restrictions prohibited gatherings of friends and families for traditional funerals, causing an upsurge in reliance on virtual alternatives. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of individuals attending virtual funerals following a death of any cause, including reasons for choosing virtual attendance, per…
The first casualty of Covid-19 for patients nearing death was human dignity
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people lived, but also the way they died. It accentuated the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual vulnerabilities of patients approaching death. This study explored the lived experience of palliative inpatients during the pandemic. We conducted interviews with 22 palliative inpatients registered in a Canadian urban palliative care program, aimed to uncover how the pandemic impacted participants' exp…
It took so much of the humanness away”
COVID-19 has affected healthcare in profound and unprecedented ways, distorting the experiences of patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) alike. One area that has received little attention is how COVID-19 affected HCPs caring for dying patients. The goal of this study was to examine the experiences of HCPs working with dying patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between July 2020-July 2021, we recruited HCPs (N = 25) across Canada. We cond…
Dignity in Care
Dignity in Care: The Human Side of Medicine brings together decades of clinical experience and rigorous research from one of the world’s leading authorities on palliative care and dignity in the healthcare setting. Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, a seasoned psychiatrist, healthcare leader, and prolific researcher, has distilled his insights about caring for patients and achieving dignity in care for anyone facing the need for healthcare. This book has …
The impact of the Caremongering social media movement
Public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as business restrictions, social distancing and lockdowns, had social and economic impacts on individuals and communities. Caremongering Facebook groups spread across Canada to support vulnerable individuals by providing a forum for sharing information and offering assistance. We sought to understand the specific impacts of Caremongering groups on individuals 1 year after the pandemic began. …
Dignity in Care
Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of Dignity Therapy in Patients With Early Stage Dementia and Their Family. A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose: Dementia is the major cause for disability and dependence in older people and associated with considerable psychological burden. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of Dignity Therapy, a brief psychotherapeutic intervention to enhance dignity and reduce psychological burden, in patients with early stage dementia and in their families or close friends. Materials and methods: In th…
Who would want to die like that?” Perspectives on dying alone in a long-term care setting
The discourse of dying alone is negatively weighted and models of a good death identify not dying alone as a key outcome. Understanding why dying alone is viewed negatively and its effects on care is a priority. In separate focus groups with long-term care residents, family caregivers, and staff, we identified evidence for four different perspectives on the importance of presence at the time of death. However, while each individual had their own …
A Pilot Study of Meaning-Based Group Counseling for Bereavement
Scientific studies demonstrating either the efficacy or effectiveness of interventions for uncomplicated bereavement are lacking. This study reports the results of a novel meaning-based group counseling (MBGC) intervention developed for bereaved adults. MBGC was built on previous scholarly critiques using a formative evaluation methodology within a group of bereaved adults ( n = 11). The primary research questions were as follows: (a) How do bere…
Reconstructing Meaning with Others in Loss
More effective psychosocial interventions that target uncomplicated bereavement are needed for those actively seeking support. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of evaluating a unique meaning-based group counseling (MBGC) intervention with a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. Twenty-six bereft individuals were randomly assigned to either MBGC or a control bereavement support group. Twenty participants (11 experiment…
Meaning-Based Group Counseling for Bereavement
A growing body of scholarship has evaluated the usefulness of meaning-based theories in the context of bereavement counseling. Although scholars have discussed the application of meaning-based theories for individual practice, there is a lack of inquiry regarding its implications when conducting bereavement support groups. The objective of this article is to bridge meaning-based theories with bereavement group practice, leading to a novel interve…
Dignity Amidst Liminality
This study critically examines the concepts of dignity and liminality at the end-of life, in an effort to better understand the processes of healing within suffering among Chinese terminal cancer patients receiving palliative care services in Hong Kong. Meaning-oriented interviews were conducted with 18 Chinese terminal patients, aged 44 to 98, to elicit the narratives and stories of their illness experience. All interviews were analyzed using gr…
The Blessings and the Curses of Filial Piety on Dignity at the End of Life
This study critically examines the evolving nature of filial piety and the role that it plays in the contemporary experience of “living and dying with dignity” among Hong Kong Chinese families facing the end of life. Meaning-oriented interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 adult-children caregivers, ages 30 to 62, to elicit their narratives and stories in caring for a dying elderly parent. Qualitative content analysis reveals that…
Means to Meaning in Cancer-Related Bereavement
The search for meaning in bereavement is a topic of increasing scholarly interest. Nonetheless, literature has not yet appeared that examines the intersections of diverse theories of meaning, corresponding empirical findings, and clinical implications for counseling psychologists engaged in cancer-related bereavement psychotherapy. Meaning theories drawn from several domains of scholarship including existential, spirituality, stress, and bereavem…
Improving the Quality of Spiritual Care as a Dimension of Palliative Care
A Consensus Conference sponsored by the Archstone Foundation of Long Beach, California, was held February 17-18, 2009, in Pasadena, California. The Conference was based on the belief that spiritual care is a fundamental component of quality palliative care. This document and the conference recommendations it includes builds upon prior literature, the National Consensus Project Guidelines, and the National Quality Forum Preferred Practices and Con…
Dignity Therapy
PURPOSE: This study examined a novel intervention, dignity therapy, designed to address psychosocial and existential distress among terminally ill patients. Dignity therapy invites patients to discuss issues that matter most or that they would most want remembered. Sessions are transcribed and edited, with a returned final version that they can bequeath to a friend or family member. The objective of this study was to establish the feasibility of …
Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Patients Who Discontinue the Life-Support Treatment of Dialysis
Objective The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of major depression and suicidal ideation in patients who stop the life-support treatment of dialysis. Methods The authors prospectively studied 79 subjects who discontinued maintenance dialysis at eight facilities in North America. Structured interviews were conducted with 23 patients and 76 families. Results The prevalence of major depression in the sample was between 5% and …
Dignity in the terminally ill
Dignity in the terminally ill
The Blessings and the Curses of Filial Piety on Dignity at the End of Life
This study critically examines the evolving nature of filial piety and the role that it plays in the contemporary experience of “living and dying with dignity” among Hong Kong Chinese families facing the end of life. Meaning-oriented interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 adult-children caregivers, ages 30 to 62, to elicit their narratives and stories in caring for a dying elderly parent. Qualitative content analysis reveals that…
Means to Meaning in Cancer-Related Bereavement
The search for meaning in bereavement is a topic of increasing scholarly interest. Nonetheless, literature has not yet appeared that examines the intersections of diverse theories of meaning, corresponding empirical findings, and clinical implications for counseling psychologists engaged in cancer-related bereavement psychotherapy. Meaning theories drawn from several domains of scholarship including existential, spirituality, stress, and bereavem…
Dignity Amidst Liminality
This study critically examines the concepts of dignity and liminality at the end-of life, in an effort to better understand the processes of healing within suffering among Chinese terminal cancer patients receiving palliative care services in Hong Kong. Meaning-oriented interviews were conducted with 18 Chinese terminal patients, aged 44 to 98, to elicit the narratives and stories of their illness experience. All interviews were analyzed using gr…
Meaning-Based Group Counseling for Bereavement
A growing body of scholarship has evaluated the usefulness of meaning-based theories in the context of bereavement counseling. Although scholars have discussed the application of meaning-based theories for individual practice, there is a lack of inquiry regarding its implications when conducting bereavement support groups. The objective of this article is to bridge meaning-based theories with bereavement group practice, leading to a novel interve…
Who would want to die like that?” Perspectives on dying alone in a long-term care setting
The discourse of dying alone is negatively weighted and models of a good death identify not dying alone as a key outcome. Understanding why dying alone is viewed negatively and its effects on care is a priority. In separate focus groups with long-term care residents, family caregivers, and staff, we identified evidence for four different perspectives on the importance of presence at the time of death. However, while each individual had their own …
It took so much of the humanness away”
COVID-19 has affected healthcare in profound and unprecedented ways, distorting the experiences of patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) alike. One area that has received little attention is how COVID-19 affected HCPs caring for dying patients. The goal of this study was to examine the experiences of HCPs working with dying patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between July 2020-July 2021, we recruited HCPs (N = 25) across Canada. We cond…
Together, alone
The COVID-19 pandemic caused profound distortions in how deaths were marked by those left to mourn their passing. Public health restrictions prohibited gatherings of friends and families for traditional funerals, causing an upsurge in reliance on virtual alternatives. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of individuals attending virtual funerals following a death of any cause, including reasons for choosing virtual attendance, per…
The first casualty of Covid-19 for patients nearing death was human dignity
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people lived, but also the way they died. It accentuated the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual vulnerabilities of patients approaching death. This study explored the lived experience of palliative inpatients during the pandemic. We conducted interviews with 22 palliative inpatients registered in a Canadian urban palliative care program, aimed to uncover how the pandemic impacted participants' exp…
Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Patients Who Discontinue the Life-Support Treatment of Dialysis
Objective The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of major depression and suicidal ideation in patients who stop the life-support treatment of dialysis. Methods The authors prospectively studied 79 subjects who discontinued maintenance dialysis at eight facilities in North America. Structured interviews were conducted with 23 patients and 76 families. Results The prevalence of major depression in the sample was between 5% and …
Dignity in the terminally ill
Dignity Therapy
PURPOSE: This study examined a novel intervention, dignity therapy, designed to address psychosocial and existential distress among terminally ill patients. Dignity therapy invites patients to discuss issues that matter most or that they would most want remembered. Sessions are transcribed and edited, with a returned final version that they can bequeath to a friend or family member. The objective of this study was to establish the feasibility of …
Improving the Quality of Spiritual Care as a Dimension of Palliative Care
A Consensus Conference sponsored by the Archstone Foundation of Long Beach, California, was held February 17-18, 2009, in Pasadena, California. The Conference was based on the belief that spiritual care is a fundamental component of quality palliative care. This document and the conference recommendations it includes builds upon prior literature, the National Consensus Project Guidelines, and the National Quality Forum Preferred Practices and Con…
The Blessings and the Curses of Filial Piety on Dignity at the End of Life
This study critically examines the evolving nature of filial piety and the role that it plays in the contemporary experience of “living and dying with dignity” among Hong Kong Chinese families facing the end of life. Meaning-oriented interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 adult-children caregivers, ages 30 to 62, to elicit their narratives and stories in caring for a dying elderly parent. Qualitative content analysis reveals that…
Means to Meaning in Cancer-Related Bereavement
The search for meaning in bereavement is a topic of increasing scholarly interest. Nonetheless, literature has not yet appeared that examines the intersections of diverse theories of meaning, corresponding empirical findings, and clinical implications for counseling psychologists engaged in cancer-related bereavement psychotherapy. Meaning theories drawn from several domains of scholarship including existential, spirituality, stress, and bereavem…
Meaning-Based Group Counseling for Bereavement
A growing body of scholarship has evaluated the usefulness of meaning-based theories in the context of bereavement counseling. Although scholars have discussed the application of meaning-based theories for individual practice, there is a lack of inquiry regarding its implications when conducting bereavement support groups. The objective of this article is to bridge meaning-based theories with bereavement group practice, leading to a novel interve…
Dignity Amidst Liminality
This study critically examines the concepts of dignity and liminality at the end-of life, in an effort to better understand the processes of healing within suffering among Chinese terminal cancer patients receiving palliative care services in Hong Kong. Meaning-oriented interviews were conducted with 18 Chinese terminal patients, aged 44 to 98, to elicit the narratives and stories of their illness experience. All interviews were analyzed using gr…
A Pilot Study of Meaning-Based Group Counseling for Bereavement
Scientific studies demonstrating either the efficacy or effectiveness of interventions for uncomplicated bereavement are lacking. This study reports the results of a novel meaning-based group counseling (MBGC) intervention developed for bereaved adults. MBGC was built on previous scholarly critiques using a formative evaluation methodology within a group of bereaved adults ( n = 11). The primary research questions were as follows: (a) How do bere…
Reconstructing Meaning with Others in Loss
More effective psychosocial interventions that target uncomplicated bereavement are needed for those actively seeking support. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of evaluating a unique meaning-based group counseling (MBGC) intervention with a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design. Twenty-six bereft individuals were randomly assigned to either MBGC or a control bereavement support group. Twenty participants (11 experiment…
Who would want to die like that?” Perspectives on dying alone in a long-term care setting
The discourse of dying alone is negatively weighted and models of a good death identify not dying alone as a key outcome. Understanding why dying alone is viewed negatively and its effects on care is a priority. In separate focus groups with long-term care residents, family caregivers, and staff, we identified evidence for four different perspectives on the importance of presence at the time of death. However, while each individual had their own …
Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of Dignity Therapy in Patients With Early Stage Dementia and Their Family. A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose: Dementia is the major cause for disability and dependence in older people and associated with considerable psychological burden. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of Dignity Therapy, a brief psychotherapeutic intervention to enhance dignity and reduce psychological burden, in patients with early stage dementia and in their families or close friends. Materials and methods: In th…
Dignity in Care
Dignity in Care: The Human Side of Medicine brings together decades of clinical experience and rigorous research from one of the world’s leading authorities on palliative care and dignity in the healthcare setting. Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov, a seasoned psychiatrist, healthcare leader, and prolific researcher, has distilled his insights about caring for patients and achieving dignity in care for anyone facing the need for healthcare. This book has …
The impact of the Caremongering social media movement
Public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as business restrictions, social distancing and lockdowns, had social and economic impacts on individuals and communities. Caremongering Facebook groups spread across Canada to support vulnerable individuals by providing a forum for sharing information and offering assistance. We sought to understand the specific impacts of Caremongering groups on individuals 1 year after the pandemic began. …
Dignity in Care
It took so much of the humanness away”
COVID-19 has affected healthcare in profound and unprecedented ways, distorting the experiences of patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) alike. One area that has received little attention is how COVID-19 affected HCPs caring for dying patients. The goal of this study was to examine the experiences of HCPs working with dying patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between July 2020-July 2021, we recruited HCPs (N = 25) across Canada. We cond…
Together, alone
The COVID-19 pandemic caused profound distortions in how deaths were marked by those left to mourn their passing. Public health restrictions prohibited gatherings of friends and families for traditional funerals, causing an upsurge in reliance on virtual alternatives. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of individuals attending virtual funerals following a death of any cause, including reasons for choosing virtual attendance, per…
The first casualty of Covid-19 for patients nearing death was human dignity
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way people lived, but also the way they died. It accentuated the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual vulnerabilities of patients approaching death. This study explored the lived experience of palliative inpatients during the pandemic. We conducted interviews with 22 palliative inpatients registered in a Canadian urban palliative care program, aimed to uncover how the pandemic impacted participants' exp…
There is no dignity in this”
The COVID-19 pandemic changed every aspect of how families managed the experience of dying loved ones. This Canadian study enrolled 24 immediate family members of patients who died of any cause during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Participants were interviewed, exploring their experiences from before hospitalization to death and bereavement including dignity related concerns. A qualitative study design rooted in constructivist grounded theory met…
Medicine (16 works) · Psychology (14 works) · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health (12 works) · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues (12 works) · Patient Dignity and Privacy (10 works) · Political science (10 works) · Dignity (8 works) · Nursing (8 works) · Palliative care (6 works) · Psychiatry (6 works)