Psychological Distress and Concerns of In-Home Older People Living with Cancer and Their Impact on Supportive Care Needs: An Observational Survey.

(1) Background: Cancer patients are experiencing psychological problems after diagnosis, such as emotional distress and social anxiety, which may increase their demands for emotional and supportive care. This study aimed to assess the influence of both emotional distress and concerns on the supportive care needs of cancer patients receiving home-based healthcare. (2) Methods: In this door-to-door screening program, 97 cancer patients were approached, with a mean age of 73 years old (mean = 73.43; SD = 6.60). (3) Results: As expected, 42.3% of patients highlighted their treatment as their main psychological priority, with 20.6% identifying concerns about the future of their family in this regard. No significant associations with respect to sex were identified in terms of focus, though females reported the need for more frequent psychological support (58.7% vs. 37.3%, respectively, p = 0.035) compared to males. Patients who had experienced an increased number of concerns during the last weeks (IRR = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.00-1.03, p = 0.007) had a significantly greater risk of presenting an increased rate of supportive care needs. Notably, male patients with bone cancer presented a significantly greater number of supportive care needs (mean rank 45.5 vs. 9.0, p = 0.031) respectively, in comparison to those with other types of cancer. (4) Conclusions: Supportive care needs arise from a greater concern and specific type of cancer, highlighting the need for supportive care, such as psychosocial and psychological support. This may have significant implications for treatment and patient outcomes in home care settings.

Healthcare Professionals' Perspective on Palliative Care in Intensive Care Settings: An Interpretive Descriptive Study.

There is a growing need to integrate palliative care into intensive care units and to develop appropriate knowledge translation strategies. However, multiple challenges persist in attempts to achieve this objective. In this study, we aimed to explore intensive care professionals' perspectives on providing palliative and end-of-life care within an intensive care context. We used an interpretive description approach and interviewed 36 intensive care professionals at four hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Our findings reflect a discourse about end-of-life care driven by a do-not-resuscitate classification and challenges associated with family involvement in care goals. We provide key insights of importance for the development of strategies for the integration and knowledge translation of palliative care into intensive care contexts.