Humor in hospice care: who, where, and how much?

Humor has been identified as an intrinsic social phenomenon occurring in all groups throughout human history. It is among the most prevalent forms of human social behavior yet one of the least understood or defined. Although researchers in a number of disciplines have studied the effects of humor on patients, limited work has focused on end-of-life care. The present study investigated social interactions involving humor in hospice settings using nonparticipant observation. Results revealed that humor was present in 85 percent of 132 observed nurse-based hospice visits. Of these, hospice patients initiated humor 70 percent of the time. These findings were consistent regardless of hospice setting. Humor was spontaneous and frequent, and instances of humorous interactions were a prevalent part of everyday hospice work.