Development of Palliative and End of Life Care: The Current Situation in Saudi Arabia

Alshammaray, Sami; Duraisamy, Balaji; Albalawi, Yousef; Ratnapalan, Savithiri

doi:10.7759/cureus.4319

Cited by 16 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Palliative care services were first introduced in Saudi Arabia more than 20 years ago at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh [ 2 ]. Since then, the field has grown gradually.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Now there are several secondary and tertiary care hospitals that provide palliative care service through inpatient units and consultation services, as well as outpatient clinics and home care teams. However, the cancer rate in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase over the next few years due to demographic changes [ 2 ]. Thus, the need for palliative care service expansion in Saudi Arabia is fundamental.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ability to identify primary concerns and perform a comprehensive assessment for patient symptoms to manage them appropriately is an essential part of the palliative care practice. A valid tool for symptom assessment is vital; therefore, any training program should focus on this area [ 2 ]. Palliative care asserts life and addresses dying as a natural process; nevertheless, it never aims to expedite or stall death.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A World Health Organization (WHO) report from 2001 stated that chronic diseases were responsible for approximately 60% of the 56.5 million reported deaths, and cancer was among the leading health issues contributing profoundly to global morbidity and mortality [ 1 ]. Furthermore, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and the number of aging populations are steadily rising [ 2 , 3 ]. All these factors together will add a significant burden on the healthcare system and healthcare providers, as well as contribute to poor healthcare system promotion around the world.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In palliative care service, for example, it is estimated that only 14% of people in need of that service receive it [ 3 ]. Saudi society is not secluded from the international situation; in fact, the cancer prevalence rate in Saudi Arabia is similar to that of Western countries, which could be attributed to demographics and lifestyle of the population [ 2 ]. Therefore, the expansion of palliative care services to all levels of the healthcare system is imperative.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Integration of Palliative Care Into Primary Health Care: Model of Care Experience

Alshammary¹,

Duraisamy²,

Salem³

et al. 2020

Cureus

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Background The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized access to palliative care as a basic human right. Palliative care service has been established in Saudi Arabia for more than two decades; however, it is still limited to secondary and tertiary healthcare institutions. While primary care is the first level of care in the Saudi healthcare system and covers the largest amount of the population, palliative care is still far from implemented at this level. Objectives This study sought to evaluate the outcome of integrating palliative care service at the primary healthcare level and assess patient satisfaction with services provided by primary healthcare centers (PHCCs). Results Two hundred patients participated in the study, including 50 new patients and 150 existing patients for follow-up. One hundred ten patients, in addition to 200 caregivers, attended the clinic. Twenty percent were on active oncology treatment. The no-show rate was 45%, and the overall satisfaction score was 90%. Conclusion Palliative care service integration into primary care is beneficial for improving access to early palliative care, and subsequently, improving symptom control, compliance with cancer treatment, quality of life, and overall satisfaction. This model will be implemented in all PHCCs in Saudi Arabia.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Integration of Palliative Care Into Primary Health Care: Model of Care Experience

Alshammary¹,

Duraisamy²,

Salem³

et al. 2020

Cureus

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Registered Nurses' beliefs about end‐of‐life care: A mixed method study

Alshammari,

Sim,

Mcerlean

et al. 2023

Nursing Open

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AimsTo examine registered nurses' (RNs) behavioural, normative and control beliefs about end‐of‐life care for patients who are diagnosed with advanced and life‐limiting illnesses; and to identify the barriers and facilitators they experience when providing end‐of‐life care.DesignA sequential explanatory mixed methods study.MethodAn online cross‐sectional survey was conducted using the Care for Terminally Ill Patient tool among 1293 RNs working across five hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Online individual semi‐structured interviews with a subgroup of survey respondents were then undertaken. Data were collected between October 2020 to February 2021.ResultsA total of 415 RNs completed the online survey, with 16 of them participating in individual interviews. Over half of the participants expressed the belief that end‐of‐life care is most efficiently delivered through multidisciplinary team collaboration. The majority of participants also believed that discussing end‐of‐life care with patients or families leads to feelings of hopelessness. Paradoxically, the study revealed that more than half of the participants held the negative belief that patients at the end of life should optimally receive a combination of both curative and palliative care services. The results showed that nurses' beliefs were significantly associated with their age, religion, ward type, level of education and frequency of providing end‐of‐life care. Data from the qualitative interviews identified four themes that explored RNs' beliefs and its related factors. The four themes were ‘holistic care’, ‘diversity of beliefs’, ‘dynamics of truth‐telling’ and ‘experiences of providing end‐of‐life care.’Implications for the Profession and/or Patient CareWherever possible, patients at the end‐of‐life should be cared for in specialist settings by multidisciplinary teams to ensure effective, high‐quality care. Where this is not possible, organisations should ensure that teams of multidisciplinary staff, including nurses, receive education and resources to support end‐of‐life care in non‐specialist settings. Hospitals that employ foreign‐trained nurses should consider providing targeted education to enhance their cultural competence and reduce the impact of different beliefs on end‐of‐life care.

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Advance Directives in Saudi Arabia: An Islamic Approach and Practical Implications

Hussein¹,

Adlan²

2023

Advance Directives Across Asia

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Development of Palliative and End of Life Care: The Current Situation in Saudi Arabia

Cited by 16 publications

References 10 publications

Integration of Palliative Care Into Primary Health Care: Model of Care Experience

Integration of Palliative Care Into Primary Health Care: Model of Care Experience

Registered Nurses' beliefs about end‐of‐life care: A mixed method study

Advance Directives in Saudi Arabia: An Islamic Approach and Practical Implications

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