title: A prospective study of unmet activity of daily living needs in palliative care inpatients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define the unmet needs of activities of daily living as defined by patients and caregivers in a palliative care inpatient unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional prevalence study of a convenience cohort of a dyad of patient/caregiver. Functional status and unment needs were assessed. Agreement between respondents was analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Caregivers identified significantly more unmet needs than patients (2.5 vs 2.5; p = 0.03). Areas of unmet need included mobility, leisure and bathing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Routine screening for unmet needs in function should be part of all inpatient palliative care assessments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Palliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Lalitha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jeyasingam
authors.forename: Meera
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Agar
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plummer
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Currow
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D017028:Caregivers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011581:Psychological Tests