title: Evaluation of end-of-life cancer care in the ICU: perceptions of the bereaved family in Japan.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the evaluation of end-of-life care from bereaved family of cancer patients who had died in intensive care units in Japan. Cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire surveys were conducted on community dwelling individuals aged 40-79 who were randomly sampled from census tracts. End-of-life care was assessed using the Good Death Inventory and Care Evaluation Scale. The respondents were 4011 bereaved family and response rate was 40%. Of 390 respondents had experienced bereavement in intensive care unit. Of 152 respondents had lost a loved one due to cancer. The result showed that bereaved family of cancer patients evaluated lower than the non-cancer patients for "The doctors dealt promptly with discomforting symptoms of the patients' (p=0.009), 'The nurses had adequate knowledge and skills' (p=0.016), 'Admission (use) was possible when necessary without waiting' (p=0.008) , Consideration was given to the health of the family (P=0.039) and Physical and psychological comfort (p=0.03). Overall, it can be presumed that the cancer patients' bereaved family evaluated about symptoms management and doctors and nurses skills was low. There is a need to improve for end-of-life care of cancer patients and to conduct further research to explore quality-improvement interventions to bereaved family of cancer in intensive care unit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health & Social Work, Kanagawa University of Human Services, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan. kinoshita-s@kuhs.ac.jp
authors.forename: Satomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Mitsunori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyashita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards*; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D009726:Nurses / Q000592:standards; D010820:Physicians / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000592:standards*