8A Conceptual Model for Death Education

Death is inevitable reality and each person may have a unique attitude and response toward it. Death education refers to a variety of educational activities and experiences related to death. Its main issues are meanings and attitudes towards death, the process of dying, grief and bereavement, and the care of people who have been affected. One of the most important tasks in the end of life care is preparation for death. Despite the importance of planning for the end of life care, some of health care professionals have not enough knowledge and skills to prepare their clients for exposure to death. Death education is a relevant international approach to grief, bereavement, and suicide counseling and psychotherapy. There are various approaches to death education program, including deductive, experiential approaches, and 8A conceptual model. Death education program has formal and informal forms with different methods.
The 8A model has been presented as a framework to provide death education to health care professionals, such as social workers, nurses, physicians, thanatologists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. The 8A model, via improving of awareness, knowledge, attitude and action in individuals, can change behaviors associated with death.