Family caregiver satisfaction with home-based nursing and physician care over the palliative care trajectory: results from a longitudinal survey questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: A limited understanding of satisfaction with home-based palliative care currently exists. AIM: This study measured family caregivers' satisfaction with home-based physician and nursing palliative care services, and explored predictors of satisfaction, across the palliative care trajectory. DESIGN: A longitudinal, cohort design was used. Family caregivers were interviewed by telephone by-weekly from palliative care admission until death. Satisfaction was assessed using the Quality of End-of-Life care and Satisfaction with Treatment (QUEST) questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the extent to which demographic, quality of care, and service related variables predicted satisfaction. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Family caregivers (N=104) of palliative care patients. RESULTS: Each of the nine quality of care parameters were consistently found to be significant predictors of overall satisfaction with palliative care. CONCLUSIONS: The results may inform key health policy issues. Specifically, knowledge of how quality of care parameters predict family caregivers' satisfaction over the course of the palliative care trajectory may aid managers responsible for resource allocation and the determination of home care standards.