Terminally ill patients' and their relatives' experiences and behaviors regarding complementary and alternative medicine utilization in hospice palliative inpatient care units: a cross-sectional, multicenter survey.

BACKGROUND: Terminally ill patients often experience exacerbations of diseases that render mainstream medicine ineffective in relieving symptoms, prompting attempts at complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). This study collected data from terminally ill patients and their relatives to determine differences between CAM use, behavioral patterns, and perceptions of health information about CAM. METHODS: A cross-sectional design using a self-administered questionnaire was adopted. Eight medical institutions in Taiwan with inpatient hospice palliative care units were chosen. Ninety-two terminally ill patients and 267 relatives met the inclusion criteria. The questions concerned the experience of CAM use, the kinds of products/services CAM provided, the purpose of CAM use, the source of CAM information, and the perceptions and attitudes toward CAM. RESULTS: Both terminally ill patients and their relatives have a high proportion of lifetime and one-year prevalence of CAM use (88.0% vs. 88.4%; p = 0.929). CAM use for musculoskeletal and neurological discomfort is higher among terminally ill patients than among their relatives. Relatives/friends are the most frequent sources of information on CAM (53.3% vs. 62.2%; p = 0.133). The percentage of terminally ill patients who discontinued mainstream medical treatment because of CAM use was higher than that of their relatives (18.5% vs. 9.3%; p = 0.026). More than half the terminally ill patients and their relatives had never been asked about CAM by medical staff (64.1% vs. 66.7%), nor had they informed medical professionals about the use of CAM products and services (63% vs. 66.9%). Random inquiries by medical professionals may be associated with increased disclosure of CAM use (terminally ill patients: odds ratio, 9.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.97-48.35 vs. relatives: odds ratio, 5.61; 95% confidence interval, 2.66-11.83). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence and concealment of CAM use in terminally ill patients should be considered. Medical professionals should establish a friendly and barrier-free communication model, encourage patients to share CAM experiences, and provide evidence-based information on the use of CAM products and services, to reduce the potential damage caused by harmful use.

Professionals' experiences and attitudes toward use of Traditional Chinese Medicine in hospice palliative inpatient care units: A multicenter survey in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Medical staff may have difficulties in using conventional medicine to manage symptoms among terminally ill patients, including adverse effects of the treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is regarded as a complementary or alternative medicine, and has been increasingly used in the field of palliative medicine in recent years. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of and attitudes toward using TCM among palliative care professionals, and to provide preliminary information about its use in palliative care. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey study conducted in eight inpatient hospice wards in Taiwan between December 2014 and February 2016. The questionnaire was self-administered, and was analyzed with descriptive statistics including Pearson's Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: A total of 251 palliative care professionals responded to the questionnaire, of whom 89.7% and 88.9% believed that the use of TCM could improve the physical symptoms and quality of life in terminally ill patients, respectively. Overall, 59.8%, of respondents suggested that TCM had rare side effects, and 58.2% were worried that TCM could affect the liver and kidney function of patients. In total, 89.7% and 88.0% of professionals agreed there were no suitable clinical practice guidelines and educational programs, respectively, for TCM use in palliative care. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the respondents agreed there was insufficient knowledge, skills-training, and continuing education on the use of TCM in terminally ill patients in Taiwan. These results show that to address patient safety considerations, guidelines about use of TCM in palliative care should be established.

Team-based care improves quality of diabetes care -Family Practice Integrated Care Project in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The Family Practice Integrated Care Project (FPICP) is a team-based program in Taiwan initiated in 2003. This study investigates the influence of FPICP on the quality of diabetes care. METHODS: This population-based cohort study used Taiwan's National Health Insurance Administration data on FPICP (fiscal year 2015-2016, with follow-up duration of one year). Participants included diabetic patients aged ≥30 in primary care clinics. We used conditional logistic regression modeling of patient characteristics and annual diabetes examinations and compared FPICP participants with non-participating candidates. Main outcome measures included completion of annual diabetes examinations, including glycated hemoglobin (A1c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), urine microalbumin (MAU), routine urinalysis (UR), and fundus examination (FE). RESULTS: The sample included 298,208 FPICP participants and 478,778 non-participating candidates. After 1:1 propensity score matching, the examination completion rates for FPICP participants and non-participants, respectively, were 94.4% versus 93.6% in A1c, 84.2% versus 83.8% in LDL, 61.9% versus 60.1% in MAU, 59.2% versus 58.0% in UR, and 30.1% versus 32.4% in FE. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that a program like FPICP helps improve the quality of diabetes care through regular examinations of Alc, LDL, MAU, and UR.

Family physician system in Taiwan.

Following economic development and increasing healthcare demand, Taiwan has not only built a universal healthcare coverage payment system in 1995, but has also developed an accountable family physician system, called the Family Practice Integrated Care Project (FPICP), to deal with the pressures of an ageing society, since 2003. The community healthcare group-based family physician system is not only an important milestone for the development of family medicine in Taiwan but may also even serve as a global example for future family doctor systems. In this review, we aim to review the development of family medicine in Taiwan, the implementation and achievement of the FPICP, as well as the future prospects of system-based healthcare system. We firmly believe that only when the family physician system is well developed and put into practice with person-centered, family as a care unit, and community-oriented holistic care, can the objective of "everyone has their own family doctor" and sustainable operation of National Health Insurance be achieved.

A 10-year review of health care reform on Family Practice Integrated Care Project-Taiwan experience.

Objective: Taiwan has launched a Family Practice Integrated Care Project (FPICP) to develop an accountable family doctor system since March 2003. We aim to report the effectiveness of this nationwide demonstration programme over a 10-year period. Methods: Papers and reports related to the FPICP published both in English and in Chinese from 2003 to 2015 were collected systematically based on keywords including 'family doctor', 'primary care', 'integrated care' and 'Taiwan'. Also collected and reviewed were national health insurance administration annual reports and related publications from Taiwan Association of Family Medicine. Quality care indicators including structure, process and outcome for programme monitoring were reported. Results: Up to June 2015, the project had enrolled a total of 10.5% of Taiwan's population. Approximately 24.9% of primary care physicians and 29.7% of community clinics joined the project to serve the members of 426 community health care groups (CHCGs). Compared to non-members, CHCG members received more preventive care services, especially in adult health examination (49% versus 19%), Pap smear (29% versus 22%), elderly influenza vaccination (42% versus 28%) and immunochemical faecal occult blood test (43% versus 31%) (P < 0.01). Members showed a markedly high level of satisfaction (>95%), especially in overall satisfaction, provision of health consultation and information, and improvement in understanding personal health condition. Conclusions: In the future, through the support of family physicians and CHCGs, a person-centred integrated health care delivery system can be an effective solution to the current barriers in the medical care system.

The relationship between pain management and psychospiritual distress in patients with advanced cancer following admission to a palliative care unit.

BACKGROUND: Although many cross-sectional studies have demonstrated the association between cancer pain and psychospiritual distress, the time-dependent relationship has not been fully explored. For that reason, this study aims to investigate the time-dependent relationship between psychospiritual distress and cancer pain management in advanced cancer patients. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study. Two hundred thirty-seven advanced cancer patients were recruited from a palliative care unit in Taiwan. Demographic and clinical data were retrieved at admission. Pain and psychospiritual distress (i.e.: anxiety, depression, anger, level of family and social support, fear of death) were assessed upon admission and one week later, by using a "Symptom Reporting Form". Patients were divided into two groups according to the pain status one week post-admission (improved versus not improved groups). RESULTS: One hundred sixty-three (68.8 %) patients were assigned to the improved group, and 74 (31.2 %) patients were assigned to the not improved group. There were no differences in the psychospiritual variables between groups upon admission. In overall patients, all psychospiritual variables improved one week post-admission, but the improvement of depression and family/social support in the not improved group was not significant. Consistent with this, for depression scores, there was a statistically significant pain group x time interaction effect detected, meaning that the pain group effect on depression scores was dependent on time. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated a time-dependent relationship between depression and pain management in advanced cancer patients. Our results suggest that poor pain management may be associated with intractable depression. The inclusion of interventions that effectively improve psychospiritual distress may contribute to pain management strategies for advanced cancer patients.

Patient Preferences versus Family Physicians' Perceptions Regarding the Place of End-of-Life Care and Death: A Nationwide Study in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Enabling people to die in their preferred place is important for providing high-quality end-of-life care. OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to explore patients' preferences regarding the place of end-of-life care and death and to compare these preferences with the perceptions of their family physicians. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used stratified random sampling, surveying 400 registered patients and 200 of their family physicians nationwide, with a five-part, structured, self-report questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the selected population, 310 patients (response rate 77.5%) and 169 physicians (response rate 84.5%) responded. Regarding the preferred place for end-of-life care, most of the patients would choose to receive care at home (60.6%) if home care services were available. Additionally, home was the most frequently preferred (66.5%) place of death. The family physicians' survey showed that a higher proportion of physicians selected home as the preferred place for end-of-life care and death (71.6% and 87.2%, respectively). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that patients younger than 50 years of age who believed in Chinese folk religion and who resided in a rural area were more likely to prefer to die at home. CONCLUSIONS: The most commonly preferred place for end-of-life care and death is the patient's home. Establishing a community-based palliative care system should be encouraged to allow more individuals to die in their preferred locations. There were discrepancies in the preferred place of end-of-life care and death between the patients' preferences and their family physicians' perceptions. More effective physician-patient communication regarding end-of-life care is needed.

Hospice shared-care saved medical expenditure and reduced the likelihood of intensive medical utilization among advanced cancer patients in Taiwan--a nationwide survey.

PURPOSE: Hospice shared care (HSC) is a new care model that has been adopted to treat inpatient advanced cancer patients in Taiwan since 2005. Our aim was to assess the effect of HSC on medical expenditure and the likelihood of intensive medical utilization by advanced cancer patients. METHODS: This is a nationwide retrospective study. HSC was defined as using "Hospice palliative care (HPC) teams to provide consultation and service to advanced cancer patients admitted in the nonhospice care ward." There were 120,481 deaths due to cancer between 2006 and 2008 in Taiwan. Patients receiving HSC were matched by propensity score to patients receiving usual care. Of the 120,481 cancer deaths, 12,137 paired subjects were matched. Medical expenditures for 1 year before death were assessed between groups using a database from the Bureau of National Health Insurance. Paired t and McNemar's tests were applied for comparing the medical expenditure and intensive medical utilization before death between paired groups. RESULTS: Compared to the non-HSC group, subjects receiving HSC had a lower average medical expenditure per person (US$3,939 vs. US$4,664; p<0.001). The HSC group had an adjusted net savings of US$557 (13.3%; p<0.001) in inpatient medical expenditure per person compared with the non-HSC group. Subjects that received different types of HPC had 15.4-44.9% less average medical expenditure per person and significantly lower likelihood of intensive medical utilization than those that did not receive HPC. CONCLUSIONS: HSC is associated with significant medical expenditure savings and reduced likelihood of intensive medical utilization. All types of HPC are associated with medical expenditure savings.

Treatment of constipation in long-term care with Chinese herbal formula: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study is aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of CCH1, modified from an ancient herbal formula in Traditional Chinese Medicine, for the residents with constipation in long-term care. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 90 residents from three long-term care units were randomized to 8 weeks of treatment with CCH1 or placebo and then the subjects were followed up for an additional 4 weeks. RESULTS: The mean numbers of weekly spontaneous bowel movement in the CCH1 group were greater than in the placebo group during the treatment phase of 8 weeks (p < 0.05); the greatest difference was during weeks 1-4 (6.2 ± 2.2 versus 3.4 ± 2.1, p < 0.001). Smaller mean numbers of weekly rectal treatments were observed with CCH1 compared with placebo during weeks 1-8 (p < 0.05). The mean numbers of weekly rescue laxative tablets of magnesium oxide were significantly less in the CCH1 group than in the placebo group during the entire 12-week period (p < 0.01), with the greatest difference during weeks 5-8 (14.4 ± 16.3 versus 33.4 ± 23.5, p < 0.001). No significant safety concerns were noted. CONCLUSIONS: The six-herb formula (CCH1), compared with placebo, is effective on the treatment of constipation in long-term care. However, its maintenance effect needs further trial. Comparison of efficacy or cost-effectiveness with current laxatives is encouraged.

What do laypersons consider as a good death.

GOALS: This study was designed to understand laypersons' attitude of good death. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 53-item Good-Death Questionnaire (GDQ) was generated by applying "good-death principles" and past research on good death in Chinese people. MAIN RESULTS: A total of 184 adults completed the questionnaire. The Cronbach's alpha for the GDQ was 0.96. Factor analysis produced five factors: autonomy and choice, wish fulfillment, death preparation, spiritual support and afterlife, and symptom control. Elderly people had higher scores in "autonomy" than people aged < or = 40 (52.71 +/- 5.94 vs. 56.71 +/- 3.82, P = 0.012). Chaplains had higher scores in "death preparation" than volunteers (76.09 +/- 4.44 vs. 70.46 +/- 6.49, P = 0.011) and higher scores in "spiritual support" than volunteer and farmers-workers-businessmen (32.97 +/- 2.49 vs. 28.08 +/- 5.06 and 29.69 +/- 5.05, P = 0.002). People with Buddhist religious belief had higher scores in "spiritual support" than people without religious belief (31.10 +/- 3.99 vs. 25.73 +/- 3.13; P < 0.001). Religious devotion was positively related to "death preparation" and "spiritual support." People who had witnessed death had lower scores of "autonomy and choice" than the inexperienced (55.41 +/- 4.81 vs. 57.06 +/- 3.85; P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: Our results identified some major characteristics of good-death attitude among laypersons. Religious devotion has a positive impact on the attitude of good death.

Effectiveness of Taiwanese traditional herbal diet for pain management in terminal cancer patients.

In addition to modern medicinal therapy, many cancer patients in Taiwan are treated regularly with herbal medicines or prescribed a traditional herbal diet. In this paper, the effect of a Taiwanese traditional herbal diet (TTHD) on pain in terminal cancer patients was investigated. A total of 2,466 patients diagnosed with a variety of cancers were included. The most common patient-reported symptoms included troublesome pain (79.2%), weakness (69.0%), anorexia (46.4%), fever (36.5%), dyspnea (31.1%), and leg edema (30.9%). The 2,466 terminal cancer patients included in the study were randomly divided into three groups. The TTHD group (n=1044; 42.3%) were given the TTHD consisting of analgesic herbs (paeony root: licorice root=1:1) and a Taiwanese tonic vegetable soup (Lilii bulbus, Nelumbo seed, and Jujube fruit). The remaining patients were divided into a reference group, given the regular hospital diet, (n=909, 36.9%) and a control group, given the Taiwanese tonic vegetable soup without analgesic herbs, (n=513, 20.8%). All patients maintained their assigned diets for one week. A verbal numerical scale was used to assess pain. Results revealed that the patients given TTHD reported enhanced pain relief (p<0.05) compared to the reference and control groups. We found that TTHD could alleviate the pain among terminal cancer patients thereby supporting the supposition that Eastern and Western medicines can be effectively co-administered to enhance terminal patient's quality of life. Further research is warranted.

The influence of awareness of terminal condition on spiritual well-being in terminal cancer patients.

We developed a Spirituality Transcendence Measure (STM) and studied whether awareness of terminal illness affects spiritual well-being in terminal cancer patients. Three sources of spiritual transcendence--the situational, the moral and biographical, and the religious aspect--were assessed in the STM. Cronbach's alpha of the STM was 0.95, and the principle axis factor analysis extracted only one factor. Thirty-seven terminal cancer patients with male predominance (59.5%) were studied. Awareness of terminal illness was associated with a higher total STM score (Z = -2.21, P = 0.027), along with the individual scores for each of the three transcendences (Z = -2.39, P = 0.017; Z = -2.71, P = 0.007; and Z = -1.96, P = 0.050). Acceptance of death was associated with a higher situational score (Z = 2.01, P = 0.046) and a higher religious score (Z = -2.27, P = 0.023). Announcement of testament was associated with a higher situational score (Z = -2.30, P = 0.021). We conclude that awareness of terminal illness is associated with spiritual well-being. Telling the complete truth is necessary even when dealing with terminal conditions.

Fear of death and good death among the young and elderly with terminal cancers in Taiwan.

Fear of death is a common characteristic among palliative care patients. We might think that the elderly display a higher degree of acceptance of the inevitability and less fear in the face of death. This study was aimed at investigating the relationship between the death fear level and the good-death scale in two age groups. The study was conducted in 224 patients with terminal cancers admitted to the Palliative Care Unit in National Taiwan University Hospital during the period of January 1 through October 31, 2001. The mean age was 62.13 +/- 15.47 years. The duration of admission in the elderly group was shorter than that of the younger group (P < 0.05). The severity of death fear decreased gradually in both groups after being admitted to the hospice (P < 0.05). However, the elderly (> or = 65 years of age) displayed higher levels of death fear than the younger group at two days before death (P < 0.05). A significant negative correlation was observed between the degree of death fear and the total good death score in both groups at two days before death (P < 0.05). The comprehensive care in the palliative care unit might relate to the relief of the death fear of terminal cancer patients. There is a need for psychological and spiritual care in elderly patients.

Dyspnea and its correlates in taiwanese patients with terminal cancer.

This study prospectively assessed dyspnea and related bio-psycho-social-spiritual factors--including severity, cause, psychological distress, and fear of death--that were possibly related to dyspnea in 125 terminal cancer patients at admission and two days before their death. At admission, 74 patients had dyspnea, which improved but later worsened. Causes included cachexia, anemia, pleural effusion, and lymphangitis. Quality of life, anxiety, depression, and fear of death improved after admission; anxiety was correlated with dyspnea before death (r = 0.211, P < 0.05, univariate analysis). Lung infection (odds ratio = 2.29, 95% confidence interval = 0.68-3.90; multiple regression), airway obstruction (2.27, 1.41-3.13), acidemia (1.82, 0.72-2.98), and pericardial effusion (1.38, 0.44-2.32) were independent correlates of dyspnea severity at admission (42.8% of explained variance). Before death, airway obstruction, esophageal cancer, pericardial effusion, lung infection, and mediastinal mass were independent correlates of severity (42.7% of explained variance). Comprehensive care, including improved psychospiritual status, can help in controlling dyspnea and enhancing patients' quality of life.