Palliative care: epidemiological profile with a biopsychosocial look on oncological patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Palliative care is a set of practices that encompasses patients with life-threatening diseases which approach is no longer curative, but comforting, including care for the family. The objective of this study was to verify the epidemiological profile of cancer patients in palliative care. METHODS: We interviewed 100 cancer patients in palliative care, as well as the sociodemographic and biopsychosocial variables, using the Karnofsky index, Palliative Performance Scale and Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale. RESULTS: The prevalent age group was between 51-60 years (34%), more than half female (77%), incomplete elementary school (40%) and resident in the interior of Maranhão (73%). Concerning the use of pain drugs, 52% reported not forgetting to take their pain drug, while 56% took drug on their own. As to the diagnosis, only 13% of the interviewees were aware of a palliative diagnosis, and more than half of them were aware of primary or oncological diagnosis (65%). Regarding the evaluation of functional capacity, 52% had the Karnofskys index between 70 and 90%; Palliative Performance Scale, 62% between 80 and 90%, and Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale the following most significant variables in tiredness, (60%); sadness, (84%); anxiety, (73%); lack of appetite, (51%) and absence of well-being (79%).

COVID-19 in oncology palliative care: psychological stress from the perspective of psychodynamics at work

“…Palliative care is not based on protocols, but on principles. The family is remembered, therefore also assisted during and after the patient's death, in the period of mourning (16). The inclusion of the family/caregiver in the participation of care is crucial, as it will allow them to have a better adaptation to the grieving process, since they will feel that everything was done by the patient (17).…”

Avaliação De Sintomas Em Pacientes Oncológicos Internados Em Unidade De Cuidados Paliativos Exclusivos

“…Uma pesquisa realizada no município de São Luiz-MA em 2018, cuja amostra foi coletada tanto na internação de pacientes quanto em ambulatório de dor para CP, obteve PPS predominante entre 80% e 90% (26) . Ao observar o método de avaliação desses pacientes de CP ambulatorial, surge a reflexão sobre a importância dos CP de forma precoce.…”

Sobre os propósitos das ocupações de pessoas em cuidados paliativos oncológicos em um contexto hospitalar

“…Esta etapa iniciou-se após a apresentação, leitura e assinatura do TCLE aos participantes. Em seguida, aplicou-se o protocolo de entrevista, o qual possui duas divisões: a primeira com dados sociodemográficos dos participantes que contou com itens como data de nascimento, escolaridade, profissão, estado civil, incluindo a Escala de Performance Paliativa (Palliative Performance Scale -PPS), instrumento validado e aplicado no contexto dos cuidados paliativos para se obter indicativos sobre a funcionalidade no autocuidado 15 , e que neste estudo possuiu apenas o intuito de apresentar o escore de cada participante no momento de coleta de dados.…”