Quality of Life in Palliative Care Patients in South Africa and Uganda
Author Information
Author(s): Lucy E Selman, Irene J Higginson, Godfrey Agupio, Natalya Dinat, Julia Downing, Liz Gwyther, Thandi Mashao, Keletso Mmoledi, Tony Moll, Lydia Mpanga Sebuyira, Barbara Ikin, Richard Harding
Primary Institution: King's College London
Hypothesis
What is the quality of life among patients with incurable, progressive diseases receiving palliative care in South Africa and Uganda?
Conclusion
Patients receiving palliative care in South Africa and Uganda have poor quality of life, particularly in psychological and spiritual domains.
Supporting Evidence
- Patients scored most poorly on the Function domain.
- HIV+ patients scored significantly worse than cancer patients on Well being and Transcendence.
- Close relationships and feeling at peace were rated as most important to patients.
Takeaway
This study looked at how happy and comfortable people are while getting care for serious illnesses in South Africa and Uganda. It found that many people feel sad and worried, especially those with HIV.
Methodology
A cross-sectional survey using the Missoula Vitas Quality of Life Index (MVQOLI) was conducted at five facilities.
Potential Biases
The selection of sites may have led to an overestimation of quality of life due to the high quality of care provided.
Limitations
The study may not be generalizable as it involved well-established palliative care services, and patients were required to be well enough to participate.
Participant Demographics
Mean age was 40.1 years; 69.1% were female; 80.7% had HIV, and 17.9% had cancer.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.005
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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