Digital legacy in palliative care: A concept analysis with Walker and Avant's approach.

BACKGROUND

The increasing digitalization of everyday life means that digital artifacts persist after death, presenting unique and complex challenges in palliative care. Lacking clear conceptualization, digital legacy raises clinical, ethical, and legal uncertainties. Conceptual clarity is crucial to support palliative care teams in addressing digital legacy issues at the end of life.

AIM: To examine and clarify the concept of digital legacy in palliative care.

DESIGN

A concept analysis was conducted using Walker and Avant's eight-step method.

DATA SOURCES: Seven electronic databases (CINAHL, Embase, Medline, PsycInfo, Scopus, Web of Science, CareLit) were searched in May 2025, with no time restrictions and relevant English- and German-language publications were reviewed. Given the conceptual focus, no formal study quality appraisal was conducted.

RESULTS

From 373 records, 46 articles were included. Digital legacy comprises the totality of digitally encoded artifacts that endure after an individual's death, manifesting as multidimensional, dynamically reconfigurable formations shaped by varying degrees of purposefulness, curation, meaning, media dependency, and access. Consequences include a broad range of emotional responses, ongoing support needs, transgenerational transmission, and potential risks of misuse.

CONCLUSIONS

The concept of digital legacy in palliative care offers insights into its attributes, antecedents, and consequences. It clearly demonstrates that digital legacy is a complex, multidimensional phenomenon that extends far beyond technical data storage as an integral component of palliative care. Further research is needed to investigate the dynamics of digital legacy in palliative care.