title: The effect of horticultural therapy on the quality of life of palliative care patients.
abstract: Palliative care patients experience a variety of needs and perceive their quality of life as being only fair. This study adopted a single-group repeated-measure design to investigate the effect of horticultural therapy on the quality of life of palliative care patients using the Quality of Life Concern in End of Life Questionnaire. Significant differences in the domains of "existential distress" and "health care concern" were observed immediately postintervention and at 4 weeks postintervention, respectively. No other significant differences were seen in the other domains or in the total mean score of the outcome measure.
authors.affiliation: a School of Nursing , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China.
authors.forename: Claudia Kam-Yuk
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: a School of Nursing , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China.
authors.forename: Carmen Ka-Yan
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: a School of Nursing , The Hong Kong Polytechnic University , Hong Kong , China.
authors.forename: Wai Yin
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.affiliation: b Haven of Hope Hospital , Hospital Authority of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.
authors.forename: Wai Man
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: c Hong Kong Association of Therapeutic Horticulture , Hong Kong , China.
authors.forename: Connie Yuen Yee
authors.initials: CYY
authors.lastname: Fung
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058611:Horticultural Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: existential distress; horticultural therapy; palliative care; quality of care; quality of life; supportive care