Death Literacy around the world
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Noonan K, Horsfall D, Leonard R, Rosenberg J. Developing death literacy. Prog Palliat Care. 2016 Feb 18;24(1):31–5. doi: 10.1080/09699260.2015.1103498. https://doi.org/10.1080/09699260.2015.1103498
Van Dinther K, Javanparast S. Voices of unpaid carers: problems and prospects in accessing palliative care and self-care information, resources and services. Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2024 May 29;18:26323524241255386. doi: 10.1177/26323524241255386. PMID: 38827124; PMCID: PMC11141225.
Leonard R, Paton J, Hinton P, Greenaway S, Thomson J. The end-of-life needs of Aboriginal and immigrant communities: a challenge to conventional medical models. Front Public Health. 2023 Jul 19;11:1161267. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1161267. PMID: 37546308; PMCID: PMC10400356.
Leonard R, Paton J, Hinton P, Greenaway S and Thomson J (2023) The end-of-life needs of Aboriginal and immigrant communities: a challenge to conventional medical models. Front. Public Health 11:1161267. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1161267
Lakhani A, Rowley G, Dsouza F, Noonan K, Eliott J. Strengthening death literacy in multicultural communities: Community-led interventions and cross-cultural validation of the Death Literacy Index. Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2026 Apr 26;20:26323524261418687. doi: 10.1177/26323524261418687. PMID: 42079357; PMCID: PMC13129344.
Lee S, Noonan K, Grindrod A, Shrestha S. Death literacy as relational capability: Pathways from social capital to emotional support. Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2026 Jul 3;20:26323524261461311. doi: 10.1177/26323524261461311. PMID: 42403528; PMCID: PMC13332290.
Noonan K, Grindrod A, Shrestha S, Lee S, Leonard R, Johansson T. Progressing the Death Literacy Index: the development of a revised version (DLI-R) and a short format (DLI-9). Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2024 Sep 17;18:26323524241274806. doi: 10.1177/26323524241274806. PMID: 39314871; PMCID: PMC11418362.
Noonan, K and Read, N (2026) Death Literacy as community practice. Learning through Skills, Experience, Action and Knowledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003621348-24/death-literacy-community-practice-kerrie-noonan-niki-read
Lee S, Noonan K, Grindrod A, Shrestha S, Read N. Death Literacy and Death Competence in Undergraduate Clinical and Allied Health Education: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2026 Jan 19;15:e86867. doi: 10.2196/86867. PMID: 41553757; PMCID: PMC12865345.
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Description text goes hereGraham-Wisener, L., Toner, P., Leonard, R. et al. Psychometric validation of the death literacy index and benchmarking of death literacy level in a representative uk population sample. BMC Palliat Care 21, 145 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12904-022-01032-0
Peryer G, Puri Sudhir K, Wagner AP, Blake J. Mapping death literacy in the East of England: A cross-sectional survey with qualitative insights to inform public health strategy. Palliative Care and Social Practice. 2026;20. doi:10.1177/26323524261443547
Holland-Hart D, Rogerson J, Edwards M. Death literacy: A document analysis review of the United Kingdom's four countries' policies. Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2026 Feb 5;20:26323524251408431. doi: 10.1177/26323524251408431. PMID: 41660664; PMCID: PMC12881320.
Kings College London: Understanding death literacy across the United Kingdom.
White, N and Sallnow, L. Grant : Understanding and improving death literacy in dementia- Developing and refining a measure of death literacy for carers of people living with dementia.
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See Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief for more information. 2023 report: Who are more ‘death literate’ bus drivers or students?
Patterson RM, Gibb C, Hazelwood MA. End of Life Aid Skills for Everyone in Scotland. Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2022 Feb 15;16:26323524221076511. doi: 10.1177/26323524221076511. PMID: 35187489; PMCID: PMC8855446.
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Crawford S, Groarke J, Dempster M, et al OP-5 The death literacy index-Island of Ireland (DLI-IRE) BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care 2025;15:A3. https://spcare.bmj.com/content/15/Suppl_1/A3.1
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Singapore Hospice Council - Death Literacy report
Singapore's first Death Literacy Index reveals gaps in end-of-life knowledge - VIDEOSingapore’s integrated whole-of-government approach to improving death literacy
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In 2025 Bengaluru: India’s first death literacy festival - Good To Go.
Butola S, Gursahani R. Advance care planning and the ethical obligation of death literacy as a public health initiative in India. Indian J Med Ethics. 2024 Oct-Dec;IX(4):308-312. doi: 10.20529/IJME.2024.048. Epub 2024 Jul 31. PMID: 39183628.
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Panuthai J, Rhiantong J, Suwankruhasn N. Factors Associated with Death Literacy Among Older Persons with Multimorbidity. J Thai Nurse Midwife Counc [internet]. 2026 Apr. 8;41(02):244-63. available from: https://he02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/TJONC/article/view/275844
Pewnil, T., Pothisiri, W. & Sriratanaban, P. A scoping review of death preparation practices and sociocultural determinants in Thai society. Discov Soc Sci Health6, 13 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44155-025-00346-7
Phenwan, T., Sittiwantana, E., Jarusomboon, W., & Peerawong, T. (2025). Examining the role of card game in promoting death awareness in Thailand. Mortality, 30(2), 557–568. https://doi.org/10.1080/13576275.2025.2449895
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Kawaguchi K, Kurotori I, Chen YR, Ozawa S, Sunohara S, Wakasa H, Chen H, Kimura T, Takenouchi H, Shimazono S, Kondo K, Tadaka E, Tamakoshi A, Nakagomi A. Development and validation of the Japanese version of the Death Literacy Index (DLI-J) and its short form (DLI-J-9). PCN Rep. 2025 Dec 7;4(4):e70258. doi: 10.1002/pcn5.70258. PMID: 41362595; PMCID: PMC12681991.
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Lin GF, Yang CY, Chen YC, Yeh YL, Shun SC, Lin CP. Association between death literacy and life-sustaining treatment preferences in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Asia Pac J Oncol Nurs. 2026 Jun 5;13:100987. doi: 10.1016/j.apjon.2026.100987. PMID: 42326873; PMCID: PMC13279506.
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Wang A, Nan F, Jin LS, Jin H. A SWOT Analysis of Death Literacy Education in Nursing: Implications for Hospice and Palliative Care in China. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2025 Nov 27;18:7749-7756. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S559188. PMID: 41334159; PMCID: PMC12667701.
Che SL, Li X, Zhu M, Ng WI. The Death Literacy Index: translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the Chinese version. Front Public Health. 2023 May 11;11:1140475. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1140475. PMID: 37250081; PMCID: PMC10213892.
Zhang X, Zhang H, Zhu M, Wu M, Huang Y, Qin Z. The mediating effects of death reflection on death literacy and death anxiety among Chinese nurses: a cross-sectional study. Sci Rep. 2024 Dec 28;14(1):31153. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-82421-8. PMID: 39732830; PMCID: PMC11682294.
Li X, Che SL, Zhu M, Ng WI. What we learnt from parents' death experience: A cross-sectional study of death literacy and parent's death quality among adult children in China. Palliat Support Care. 2024 Oct;22(5):1217-1225. doi: 10.1017/S1478951523001657. PMID: 38031427.
Ng WI, Che SL, Li X, Zhu M. Association of filial attitude, filial behavior and death literacy: implications for development of death system in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of China. BMC Public Health. 2024 Mar 6;24(1):721. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-18197-3. PMID: 38448863; PMCID: PMC10916039.
Shi M, Xia C, Ye Y. The impact of death literacy on self-management behaviors in gastric cancer patients: the chain mediating role of psychological adaptation and cognitive reappraisal. Front Public Health. 2026 Jan 5;13:1735804. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1735804. PMID: 41561849; PMCID: PMC12812759.
Ng WI, Che SL, Wong SL, Wong MF, Yung WTT, Ao KM, Wang Q, Pan J. Translation and validation of the revised and short forms of the Death Literacy Index in the Chinese population. Front Public Health. 2026 Jan 30;14:1701996. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1701996. PMID: 41694538; PMCID: PMC12903122.
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Salifu Y, Davies J, Eccles K, Adu Gyamfi K, Caswell G. Community participation and consultation in palliative and end-of-life care: Building death literacy through a participatory theory of change. Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2026 Jun 5;20:26323524261459462. doi: 10.1177/26323524261459462. PMID: 42254688; PMCID: PMC13241610.
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Holland C, McPherson CJ, Busing N, Hébert P. Clinical Utility of the Death Literacy Index in Canada: A Mixed-Methods Study. Omega (Westport). 2025 Jul 30:302228251359371. doi: 10.1177/00302228251359371. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40736277.
Understanding Canadians’ skills, knowledge and awareness of end of life: Grant
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Nelson, K. A., Brauer, E. R., Brecht, M.-L., Economou, D. R., & Bates-Jensen, B. M. (2026). Death Literacy in a United States Community: A Cross-Sectional Study. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00302228261463029
Jacobs R J, Caballero J (March 24, 2026) Death Literacy and End-of-Life Preparedness Among Health Professions Students: A Mixed-Methods Study . Cureus 18(3): e105767. doi:10.7759/cureus.105767
Decker A, Weaver RH, Bolkan C, Klein T, Bruzios K. Educating for the end: A decade of death literacy interventions in U.S. health professions training. Death Stud. 2026 Jun 27:1-20. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2693535. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42364086.
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Johansson T, Tishelman C, Eriksson LE, Cohen J, Goliath I. Factors associated with death literacy among Swedish adults: A cross-sectional exploratory study. Palliat Support Care. 2023 May 12:1-11. doi: 10.1017/S1478951523000548. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37170905.
Johansson T, Bujacz A, Kowalski L, Tishelman C, Nierop-van Baalen CA, Eriksson LE, Groot M, Olsson Å, Vanderstichelen S, Cohen J, Goliath I. Measurement invariance of the Death Literacy Index across Flemish Belgium, The Netherlands, and Sweden. Death Stud. 2026;50(5):815-823. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2025.2468162. Epub 2025 Feb 25. PMID: 39998271.
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Laranjeira C, Dixe MA, Querido A and Stritch JM (2022) Death cafés as a strategy to foster compassionate communities: Contributions for death and grief literacy. Front. Psychol. 13:986031. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.986031
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Johansson T, Bujacz A, Kowalski L, Tishelman C, Nierop-van Baalen CA, Eriksson LE, Groot M, Olsson Å, Vanderstichelen S, Cohen J, Goliath I. Measurement invariance of the Death Literacy Index across Flemish Belgium, The Netherlands, and Sweden. Death Stud. 2026;50(5):815-823. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2025.2468162. Epub 2025 Feb 25. PMID: 39998271.
Van den Cruyce N, Hermans K. Lived experiences of well-intended but hurtful cancer communication: Insights for death literacy. Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2026 Jul 4;20:26323524261465681. doi: 10.1177/26323524261465681. PMID: 42403527; PMCID: PMC13333058.
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Johansson T, Bujacz A, Kowalski L, Tishelman C, Nierop-van Baalen CA, Eriksson LE, Groot M, Olsson Å, Vanderstichelen S, Cohen J, Goliath I. Measurement invariance of the Death Literacy Index across Flemish Belgium, The Netherlands, and Sweden. Death Stud. 2026;50(5):815-823. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2025.2468162. Epub 2025 Feb 25. PMID: 39998271.
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Rai CK, Teo SP, Rahman H. Death Literacy for a Public Health Palliative Care Approach in Brunei. Oman Med J. 2024 Jul 31;39(4):e665. doi: 10.5001/omj.2024.99. PMID: 39717456; PMCID: PMC11663244.
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Akgün Şahin Z, Aydin Ş, Kına V. Death Literacy, Anxiety, and Uncertainty in Elderly's Family Caregivers: A Cross-Sectional Study. Omega (Westport). 2025 May 28:302228251346910. doi: 10.1177/00302228251346910. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40435405.
Göktuna G, Dağcan Şahin N, Gürol Arslan G. Death Literacy and Related Factors Among Nursing Students in Turkey: The Role of Spiritual Well-Being. J Relig Health. 2025 Oct;64(5):4278-4292. doi: 10.1007/s10943-025-02421-4. Epub 2025 Aug 24. PMID: 40849847.
Semerci Çakmak V, Seven A, Sönmez Sari E. Death anxiety and death literacy among Turkish patients with chronic diseases: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry. 2025 Mar 28;25(1):299. doi: 10.1186/s12888-025-06761-z. PMID: 40155871; PMCID: PMC11951526.
Semerci V, Sönmez Sari E, Seven A. Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of the Death Literacy Index. Omega (Westport). 2024 Feb;88(3):807-822. doi: 10.1177/00302228221144672. Epub 2022 Dec 12. PMID: 36510355.
Semerci Çakmak V, Sönmez Sarı E, Seven A. Death Literacy Index Short Form: Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Evaluation of the Turkish Version. Omega (Westport). 2025 Aug 6:302228251366736. doi: 10.1177/00302228251366736. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40767071.
Seven A, Sari ES, Semerci V. Perceptions of Good Death and Death Literacy Levels of Nurses Working in Palliative Care: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int Nurs Rev. 2025 Jun;72(2):e70036. doi: 10.1111/inr.70036. PMID: 40401742; PMCID: PMC12096812.
Yılmaz N, Akpınar H. Death Anxiety, Spiritual Well-Being, and Death Literacy Among Relatives of Patients Receiving Palliative Care in Türkiye: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare (Basel). 2026 Jun 17;14(12):1745. doi: 10.3390/healthcare14121745. PMID: 42354603; PMCID: PMC13300106.

