title: Patients' experiences of physical therapy within palliative cancer care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have analyzed patients' experiences of physical therapy within palliative cancer care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe how patients with incurable cancer experience physical therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients were interviewed. Data was analyzed according to a contextual analysis within a phenomenographic approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two aspects were identified: "clear and satisfactory" and "unclear and unsatisfactory". Descriptive categories were: "participation", "motivation and encouragement", "independence", "relief and well-being", "security and hope", "unclear part of the care", and "insufficient number of interventions". "Participation" was a core category interrelated with patient satisfaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physical therapy was important: it enabled independence, provided relief from distressing symptoms, and offered support. However, communication and coordination within the palliative care team has to improve if it is to minimize the negative impact of symptom distress on patient well-being and quality of life. Also, physical therapists must develop strategies for patient empowerment and methods for assessing and evaluating qualitative aspects of physical therapy in palliative cancer care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ylva
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dahlin
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heiwe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010166:Palliative Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011788:Quality of Life; D013548:Sweden