title: End-of-life preferences in advanced cancer patients willing to discuss issues surrounding their terminal condition.
abstract: The aim of the present study is to describe end-of-life preferences of advanced cancer patients willing to talk about death issues. Eighty-eight advanced cancer patients were interviewed through End of Life Preferences Interview (ELPI), a 23-item interview covering a wide range of end-of-life care issues. Most interviewed subjects were home care patients and their median survival after ELPI administration was 69 days. In total, 100% of responders expressed the will to receive some kind of information on the disease process and/or the treatments proposed. Approximately 77% declared to be willing to talk about what it is important at the end of life in case of worsening of their conditions and 31% prefer to be left alone in difficult moments. Approximately 67% choose home as the preferred place of death and 63% think it is preferable to die in a state of unconsciousness induced by drugs. About half of responders declare to believe in any kind of life after death and 40% consider very important to find any meaning at the end of life. ELPI can be a useful instrument to adapt the model of care to the specific needs and values of each patient.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Descriptive Epidemiology Unit, Institute for the Study and Prevention of Cancer, Florence Clinical Psychology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezian 1, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miccinesi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bianchi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brunelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borreani
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010358:Patient Participation; D057240:Patient Preference; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012067:Religion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*