Journal article
An early palliative care intervention can be confronting but reassuring: A qualitative study on the experiences of patients with advanced cancer.
- Fliedner M 1 DOLS, University Center for Palliative Care, University Hospital Inselspital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Zambrano S 1 DOLS, University Center for Palliative Care, University Hospital Inselspital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Schols JM 2 Department of Health Services Research, School CAPHRI, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Bakitas M 4 School of Nursing, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- Lohrmann C 5 Institute of Nursing Science, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
- Halfens RJ 2 Department of Health Services Research, School CAPHRI, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Eychmüller S 1 DOLS, University Center for Palliative Care, University Hospital Inselspital Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- 2019-05-10
Published in:
- Palliative medicine. - 2019
(Early) palliative care
advance care planning
neoplasms
qualitative research
Aged
Female
Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Male
Middle Aged
Neoplasms
Palliative Care
Qualitative Research
Quality of Life
English
BACKGROUND
Intervention trials confirm that patients with advanced cancer receiving early palliative care experience a better quality of life and show improved knowledge about and use of palliative care services. To involve patients in future health-care decisions, health professionals should understand patients' perspectives. However, little is known about how patients' experience such interventions.
AIM
To explore advanced cancer patients' experiences with a structured early palliative care intervention, its acceptability and impact on the patients' life including influencing factors.
DESIGN
Qualitative content analysis of in-depth, semi-structured interviews.
SETTING/PARTICIPANTS
Patients with various advanced cancer diagnoses were enrolled in a multicenter randomized controlled trial (NCT01983956), which investigated the impact of "Symptoms, End-of-life decisions, Network, Support," a structured early palliative care intervention, on distress. Of these, 20 patients who underwent the intervention participated in this study.
RESULTS
Participants received the intervention well and gained a better understanding of their personal situation. Patients reported that the intervention can feel "confronting" but with the right timing it can be confirming and facilitate family conversations. Patients' personal background and the intervention timing within their personal disease trajectory influenced their emotional and cognitive experiences; it also impacted their understanding of palliative care and triggered actions toward future care planning.
CONCLUSION
Early palliative care interventions like "Symptoms, End-of-life decisions, Network, Support" may provoke emotions and feel "confrontational" often because this is the first time when issues about one's end of life are openly discussed; yet, advanced cancer patients found it beneficial and felt it should be incorporated into routine care.
Intervention trials confirm that patients with advanced cancer receiving early palliative care experience a better quality of life and show improved knowledge about and use of palliative care services. To involve patients in future health-care decisions, health professionals should understand patients' perspectives. However, little is known about how patients' experience such interventions.
AIM
To explore advanced cancer patients' experiences with a structured early palliative care intervention, its acceptability and impact on the patients' life including influencing factors.
DESIGN
Qualitative content analysis of in-depth, semi-structured interviews.
SETTING/PARTICIPANTS
Patients with various advanced cancer diagnoses were enrolled in a multicenter randomized controlled trial (NCT01983956), which investigated the impact of "Symptoms, End-of-life decisions, Network, Support," a structured early palliative care intervention, on distress. Of these, 20 patients who underwent the intervention participated in this study.
RESULTS
Participants received the intervention well and gained a better understanding of their personal situation. Patients reported that the intervention can feel "confronting" but with the right timing it can be confirming and facilitate family conversations. Patients' personal background and the intervention timing within their personal disease trajectory influenced their emotional and cognitive experiences; it also impacted their understanding of palliative care and triggered actions toward future care planning.
CONCLUSION
Early palliative care interventions like "Symptoms, End-of-life decisions, Network, Support" may provoke emotions and feel "confrontational" often because this is the first time when issues about one's end of life are openly discussed; yet, advanced cancer patients found it beneficial and felt it should be incorporated into routine care.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1177/0269216319847884
- PMID 31068119
- Persistent URL
- https://folia.unifr.ch/global/documents/208228
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