scholarly journals A Pilot Study on the Quality of Sexual Life of Patients Receiving Home Palliative Care in Poland

Sexes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-182
Author(s):  
Marcin Janecki ◽  
Izabela Kaptacz ◽  
Zuzanna Janecka ◽  
Violetta Skrzypulec-Plinta

Background: Quality of life, physical, psychic, and social functioning assessments in patients suffering from chronic, progressive, and incurable diseases are one of the most significant aims of the palliative care home teams. Sexuality and intimacy can be one of the most important elements of a person’s life, even at the end of it. Unfortunately, there is very little interest in this topic among medical staff of palliative care units. The objective of the study: The aim of this study was to assess the health status, the quality of life, the quality of sexual life, and the recognition and resolution of sexual problems by the palliative care team in adult patients in the advanced stage of terminal illness, who were receiving home palliative care. Research methods: The study involved 342 adult patients in the advanced stage of incurable, progressive disease, covered by home palliative care in 15 facilities in Poland. A generic EuroQoL 5-Dimension 3-Level health and quality of life assessment questionnaire and a questionnaire developed by the researchers, including questions about sexual problems, were used in this prospective study. Results: The presented results are the part of the more extensive study. The assessment of health status and quality of life of the study patients showed that the evaluation was the lowest for performing ordinary daily activities. The quality of sexual life after diagnosis in more than half of the study patients has worsened. Almost half of the respondents felt that the palliative care team did not recognize or address their sexual concerns. Patients indicated nurses and physicians as the members of the palliative care team most helpful in identifying and addressing sexual concerns. Conclusions: Members of the palliative care team should receive training in communication with patients concerning their sexual life, their needs and expectations and have knowledge about options for obtaining specialized sexological care. It is necessary to prepare and validate simple tools that will facilitate the initiation of appropriate communication between patients and members of the medical staff. It will be important to conduct more detailed and targeted research on sexuality and intimacy in the Polish palliative care patient population.

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michiaki Myotoku ◽  
Akiko Nakanishi ◽  
Miwa Kanematsu ◽  
Noriko Sakaguchi ◽  
Norio Hashimoto ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meaghann Weaver ◽  
Christopher Wichman ◽  
Cheryl Darnall ◽  
Sue Bace ◽  
Catherine Vail ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (9) ◽  
pp. 405-413
Author(s):  
Arianne Brinkman-Stoppelenburg ◽  
Yvonne Vergouwe ◽  
Monique Booms ◽  
Mathijs P. Hendriks ◽  
Liesbeth A. Peters ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (8) ◽  
pp. 1681-1689
Author(s):  
Oryna Z. Detsyk ◽  
Oleksandra P. Bratsyun ◽  
Раvlo M. Babich

The aim: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) of palliative patients receiving general palliative care and the impact of palliative care provided by mobile palliative care team (MPCT) on their QoL. Materials and methods: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core30 (QLQ-C30) was used to evaluate QoL of 219 palliative patients receiving general palliative care from family physicians in the Center for primary health care of Uzhhorod city, Ukraine. In the second part of the study, the subgroup of 25 patients who had at least one of fifteen QLQ-C30 scales evaluated lower than 50 points were selected. They were provided with PC from the MPCT for 2 weeks and their QoL was measured again. Results: For the patients who received general palliative care from a family physicians mean m (SD) QoL value was 38.63 (16.9), and the main symptoms that affected QoL were fatigue 48.60 (23.30) and pain 46.11 (20.97). The most impact on QoL scores had role (rs=0,430;), emotional (0.321) and physical (0.301) functioning and such symptoms as pain (-0.392), insomnia (-0.311), dyspnoea (-0.294), financial difficulties (-0.255). For the patients who received palliative care from MPCT mean the mean QoL score increased by 30.0 points, mean pain score decreased by 42.22 points, fatigue score decreased by 38.0 points and level of financial difficulties also decreased by 76.0 points. Conclusions: The involvement of the MPCT could have a significant positive impact on the QoL of palliative patients.


2020 ◽  
pp. 171-178
Author(s):  
Laura Rose Musheno

Depression is a common and debilitating disease in pediatric patients with life-limiting illnesses. Depression can be challenging to diagnose in patients with advanced illness because symptoms can be difficult to recognize. Evaluation for depression in this population should focus on the cognitive or psychological, rather than physical, symptoms. Treatment for depression can positively impact quality of life and should be instituted promptly. Clinicians should consider patient prognosis to help guide therapy selection because usual antidepressant medications require several weeks to take full effect, whereas psychostimulants have a much faster onset. The most effective treatment for depression should also incorporate nonpharmacologic therapies and utilize the support of the interdisciplinary palliative care team. This chapter explores the nuances of diagnosing as well as treating depression in pediatric palliative care patients.


2013 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. ix58
Author(s):  
T. Yokoyama ◽  
H. Kunikane ◽  
H. Okamoto ◽  
N. Hida ◽  
T. Shimokawa ◽  
...  

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