Sequential use of the Demoralization Scale in palliative care: feasibility, strain, and personal benefits of participation for patients at the end of life.
Support Care Cancer
; 29(2): 965-973, 2021 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32556715
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE:
To determine the efficacy of specifically targeted interventions in palliative care, sequential use of the Demoralization Scale (DS) could be a useful approach. This study's main objective was to evaluate the weekly use of the DS for palliative care inpatients. Secondary objectives were the analysis of the DS, self-perceived strain, and personal benefits of the assessment.METHODS:
Patients admitted to 3 palliative care units (PCUs) were tested for eligibility and asked to complete the DS weekly. Self-perceived strain was rated on a numeric scale (0-10). Open questions about strain and helpfulness of the survey were asked.RESULTS:
Over 10 months, 568 patients were admitted to the PCUs; 193 patients were eligible. A total of 120 patients participated once, of whom only 41 (34.1%) participated at least twice. The mean self-perceived strain caused by the assessment was 1.53 at T1 (N = 117, SD = 2.27, max = 8).CONCLUSIONS:
While the single use of the DS in PCUs seems justified in view of the possibility to detect severe demoralization with overall low to moderate strain and self-perceived helpfulness for patients, the feasibility of the sequential use of the DS has to be regarded critically. Our study undermines the complexity of assessing changes in self-reported psychological phenomena with end-of-life patients at a PCU. The most limiting factors for participating twice were that patients were either discharged from hospital or declined further participation.Palavras-chave
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Cuidados Paliativos
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Psicometria
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Morte
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Desmoralização
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article