Evaluation of Outcomes of the Busan Community-based Palliative Care Project in Korea

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of a community-based palliative care project conducted in Busan city, Korea, from 2013 to 2015. Methods: We selected four outcome indices based on the project's outcomes derived from a logic model and used a longitudinal and cross-sectional comparative design approach depending on the outcome index. Results: The utilization rate of palliative care increased from 9.2% in 2012 to 41.9% in 2015. Regarding symptom changes in 65 patients receiving palliative care at 3 and 6 months (mean age ¼ 72 years, standard deviation ¼ 9.64, 55.4% women), pain, anxiety, and depression had improved. Quality of life was higher among palliative care patients compared with patients who did not receive palliative care (t ¼ 2.09, p ¼ .039). Regarding recognition of palliative care, civil servants at public health centers who participated in the pilot project (2013e2014) scored higher than those at public health centers who began participation in 2015 (t ¼ 2.67, p ¼ .008). Conclusion: This is the first study in Korea that systematically evaluated community-based palliative care. The Busan Community-based Palliative Care Project improved the quality of life of palliative care patients by providing services at an appropriate level and by raising the recognition of palliative care in the community. To increase the utilization ratio of palliative care and the quality of service, strategies should be developed to supplement medical support systems.

Palliative Care for Cancer Patients in Asia: Challenges and Countermeasures

“…Teamwork is also perceived by many experts as an indispensable functionality of palliative care teams [50]. Among the palliative care models carried out in Asian regions, most of them were as follows: 1) Professional palliative care institutions and program: the community ward based on multidisciplinary program, with medical care and entertainment facilities (such as Indian National Program in Palliative Care, The Busan Community-based Palliative Care Project in Korea) [29,51]; 2) Palliative wards in general hospitals: using hospital resources to provide medical service, nursing and supportive care for terminally ill patients, based on multidisciplinary cooperation (such as the department of palliative and hospice care of West China Fourth Hospital, department of palliative medicine of Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital in Japan, and department of palliative medicine of Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore) [52][53][54]; 3) Specialized palliative medical units established in cancer hospitals: providing palliative care services for cancer patients (such as the palliative care centre of Peking University Cancer Hospital in China) [55].…”

A Review of Palliative Care Service Delivery Models and Patient Outcomes for Adults with Cancer in Selected East and Southeast Asian Countries

“…[32][33] The two papers from South Korea form part of a single study on the development of a home-based community-led PC service delivery model in Busan. [40][41] The majority of the studies adopted a quantitative approach (n=10); one was a qualitative study 41 (interview).…”

“…The most frequently investigated patient outcomes were Quality of Life (QoL) (n=4) 31,34,39,40 and severity of symptoms (n=4) 35,36,39,40 (Table 2). Inventories used to measure QoL, and severity of symptoms varied across different countries and studies.…”

The decision making process of being palliative volunteer

“…Palliative care could be delivered in clinical/hospital and community context. An evaluative study towards palliative care delivery in community context in Busan, Korea, found that the quality of life of the patients improved by providing services at an appropriate level and by raising the recognition of palliative care in the community [5].…”