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Characteristics and Quality of Life of Patients Who Choose Home Care at the End of Life.

Ahlner-Elmqvist, Marianne LU ; Jordhøy, Marit S ; Bjordal, Kristin ; Jannert, Magnus LU and Kaasa, Stein (2008) In Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 36. p.217-227
Abstract
Cancer patients with advanced disease and short-survival expectancy were given hospital-based advanced home care (AHC) or conventional care (CC), according to their preference. The two groups were compared at baseline to investigate whether there were differences between the AHC and the CC patients that may help explain their choice of care. The patients were consecutively recruited over 2(1/2) years. Sociodemographic and medical data, and the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the two groups were compared. HRQL was assessed using a self-reporting questionnaire, including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Impact of Event Scale (IES), five questions... (More)
Cancer patients with advanced disease and short-survival expectancy were given hospital-based advanced home care (AHC) or conventional care (CC), according to their preference. The two groups were compared at baseline to investigate whether there were differences between the AHC and the CC patients that may help explain their choice of care. The patients were consecutively recruited over 2(1/2) years. Sociodemographic and medical data, and the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the two groups were compared. HRQL was assessed using a self-reporting questionnaire, including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Impact of Event Scale (IES), five questions about social support, and two items concerning general well-being. The AHC group showed significantly poorer functioning on all the EORTC QLQ-C30 scales and an overall higher symptom burden than the CC patients. Fewer of the AHC patients were receiving cancer treatment. The AHC patients had lived longer with their cancer diagnosis, had a significantly shorter survival after study enrollment, and a significantly poorer performance status. The major differences between the two groups seemed to be related to being at different stages in their disease. The results indicate that patients are reluctant to accept home care until absolutely necessary due to severity of functioning impairments and symptom burden. These findings should be taken into consideration in planning palliative care services. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
volume
36
pages
217 - 227
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000259211100001
  • pmid:18400462
  • scopus:49749118838
  • pmid:18400462
ISSN
1873-6513
DOI
10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2007.10.010
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e74bf89f-f73d-4b5c-94b8-b07cb367375a (old id 1147577)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18400462?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 07:42:31
date last changed
2022-01-29 02:27:30
@article{e74bf89f-f73d-4b5c-94b8-b07cb367375a,
  abstract     = {{Cancer patients with advanced disease and short-survival expectancy were given hospital-based advanced home care (AHC) or conventional care (CC), according to their preference. The two groups were compared at baseline to investigate whether there were differences between the AHC and the CC patients that may help explain their choice of care. The patients were consecutively recruited over 2(1/2) years. Sociodemographic and medical data, and the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the two groups were compared. HRQL was assessed using a self-reporting questionnaire, including the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Impact of Event Scale (IES), five questions about social support, and two items concerning general well-being. The AHC group showed significantly poorer functioning on all the EORTC QLQ-C30 scales and an overall higher symptom burden than the CC patients. Fewer of the AHC patients were receiving cancer treatment. The AHC patients had lived longer with their cancer diagnosis, had a significantly shorter survival after study enrollment, and a significantly poorer performance status. The major differences between the two groups seemed to be related to being at different stages in their disease. The results indicate that patients are reluctant to accept home care until absolutely necessary due to severity of functioning impairments and symptom burden. These findings should be taken into consideration in planning palliative care services.}},
  author       = {{Ahlner-Elmqvist, Marianne and Jordhøy, Marit S and Bjordal, Kristin and Jannert, Magnus and Kaasa, Stein}},
  issn         = {{1873-6513}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{217--227}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Pain and Symptom Management}},
  title        = {{Characteristics and Quality of Life of Patients Who Choose Home Care at the End of Life.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2007.10.010}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2007.10.010}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}