Inpatient Hospice Palliative Care Unit and Palliative Consultation Service Enhance Comprehensive Quality of Life Outcomes in Terminally Ill Cancer Patients: A Prospective Longitudinal Study

Li-Fang Chang, Li-Fen Wu, Chi-Kang Lin, Ching-Liang Ho, Yu-Chun Hung and Hsueh-Hsing Pan
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Li-Fang Chang: Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan
Li-Fen Wu: Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan
Chi-Kang Lin: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan
Ching-Liang Ho: Division of Hematology and Oncology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan
Yu-Chun Hung: Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan
Hsueh-Hsing Pan: Department of Nursing, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei City 11490, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 17, 1-12

Abstract: This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of an inpatient hospice palliative care unit (PCU) and palliative consultation service (PCS) on comprehensive quality of life outcome (CoQoLo) among terminally ill cancer patients. This was a prospective longitudinal study. Terminally ill cancer patients who met the inclusion criteria and received PCU or PCS in a northern Taiwanese medical center were recruited. The CoQoLo Inventory was used to measure CoQoLo level pre- and seven days following hospice care between August 2018 and October 2019. A total of 90 patients completed the study. No significant differences were found in CoQoLo levels between the PCU and PCS groups pre- and seven days following care. However, the CoQoLo level of patients significantly improved seven days following care in both PCU and PCS groups, compared with pre-hospice care. Patients’ age, religious belief, marital status, closeness with family, palliative prognostic index (PPI), and symptom severity were significant concerning CoQoLo levels after adjusting for patients’ baseline characteristics. PCU and PCS showed no difference in CoQoLo levels, but both of them can improve CoQoLo among terminally ill cancer patients. These patients could receive PCU or PCS to achieve a good CoQoLo at the end-of-life stage.

Keywords: terminally ill cancer patients; comprehensive quality of life outcomes; hospice palliative care; hospice palliative care unit; hospice palliative consultation service (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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