Measuring Palliative Care in Long-Term Care Facilities
Author Information
Author(s): Sophie Paroz, Brigitte Santos-Eggimann
Primary Institution: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne
Hypothesis
Does a wider variety of patients have access to palliative care in long-term care facilities?
Conclusion
Patients with access to palliative care need to be more diverse, and there should be equal access to opiates and systematic use of symptom management scales.
Supporting Evidence
- 1200 deaths were reported, with 29.1% related to cancer.
- Access to palliative care was associated with cancer and terminal care.
- The use of drugs was more frequent than other palliative care indicators.
Takeaway
This study looked at how many people in long-term care get palliative care when they die, and found that more needs to be done to help different kinds of patients.
Methodology
The study surveyed 150 long-term care facilities over six months, collecting data on non-accidental deaths and monitoring four indicators of palliative care.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to self-reported data from facilities and the exclusion of certain types of deaths.
Limitations
The study may not fully represent all long-term care facilities, as some institutions did not participate.
Participant Demographics
Patients were primarily elderly, with a significant portion diagnosed with cancer or mental disorders.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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