title: Health problems encountered by dying patients receiving palliative home care until death.
abstract: Many of the studies reviewing the needs of the dying patient have used specified time points rather than following the patients through the last span of their lifetime, until death. This prospective study, using clinical records and nursing anecdotes, examined the health problems encountered by dying patients receiving home care from referral to home care until death. Thirty-two subjects were recruited in the study. The clinical records were content-analyzed using the Omaha system, and the anecdotes of the nurses were used to illuminate the numerical findings. This study reveals that patients who were discharged home were living in good environmental and social conditions. The physical symptoms were generally well controlled, except for dyspnea. The psychological aspects caused the most concern to patients, families, and healthcare professionals. The severity of the psychological signs and symptoms was moderate at the time of the initial visits, but improved toward the final visits. Understanding the needs of palliative home care patients can facilitate the healthcare team to plan care to support "good dying" of these patients.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. hsfwong@inet.poly.edu.hk
authors.forename: Frances Kam Yuet
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Chun Fong
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Szeto
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sham
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009720:Nurse Clinicians; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012944:Social Support