• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.3954-3962
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the burden and quality of life among family caregivers of terminal cancer patients and the relationship of these variables. Methods: Data were collected from 80 family caregivers and analyzed using SPSS 19.0 program. Results: Burden was found to have significant relationships with age, marriage, relations with patients, living together with patients and medical expense burden(p<.05). Quality of life was found to have significant differences according to age, marriage, educational background, relations with patients and living together with patients(p<.05). Burden and quality of life showed a negative correlation(r=-.538, p<.001). Conclusion: These results suggest that more attentions and interventions such as support programs should be given to family caregivers of terminal cancer patients, which can decrease the burden of family caregivers to enhance their quality of life.

• Hospice
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• s.54
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• pp.2-5
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• 2012

2006년 정부에서 암정복 10개년 계획을 발표하면서 추진전략의 하나로 암환자 재활 및 완화의료 지원 강화가 포함되었다. 2008년부터 '말기암환자 전문의료기관 지정고시'를 제정하여 인력, 시설, 장비기준을 충족할 경우 완화의료전문기관으로 지정하여 사업평가 및 운영비를 지원하고 있다. 2010년 암관리법이 개정 공포되면서 '완화의료제도' 관련규정 또한 강화되었으며, 2011년 대상자, 사업범위, 인력기준, 시설기준 등이 포함된 시행령 및 시행규칙을 개정 공포함에 따라 말기암환자 완화의료 전문기관에서는 이 규정에 따라 평가 및 운영되고 있다. 말기암환자는 호스피스완화의료의 일부이지만 현재 정부의 제도안에서 시행되는 법령이기에 호스피스완화의료기관 운영에 도움이 되기를 바라며 암관리법 중 완화의료관련 규정을 소개하고자 한다.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.51-59
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• 2015

Purpose: Predicting life expectancy of terminally ill cancer patients is very important. In many studies, ferritin is detected at higher levels in the sera of cancer patients, and higher ferritin level correlates with aggressiveness of disease and poor outcomes of patients. This study evaluated a prognostic role of serum ferritin levels in terminally ill cancer patients. Methods: This study enrolled 65 terminally ill cancer patients from March through June 2012. We assessed routine laboratory findings including serum ferritin levels as well as demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients. To examine the association between serum ferritin levels and patient's characteristics, we used Spearman's correlation analysis, Wilcoxon's rank sum test or Kruskal-Wallis test, as appropriately. For multivariate analysis, Cox's proportional hazard regression model was used to evaluate significance of serum ferritin levels as a prognostic factor. Results: A negative correlation between serum ferritin levels and survival time was found. After adjusting for sex, age, performance status, creatinine levels and white blood cell counts, serum ferritin levels were significantly associated with survival time. Conclusion: Even at the very end of life of terminal cancer patients, serum ferritin levels were an independent prognostic factor for survival.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify the perception regarding palliative care among Korean doctors and referral barriers toward palliative care for terminal cancer patients. Methods: Between May and June 2010, 477 specialists mainly caring cancer patients using a web-based, self-administered questionnaire. Results: A total of 128 doctors (26.8%) responded. All respondents (100%) deemed palliative care a necessary service for terminal cancer patients. More than 80% of the respondents agreed to each of the following statements: all cancer centers should provide palliative care service (80.5%); all terminal cancer patients should receive concurrent palliative care along with anti-cancer therapies (89.1%) and caring for terminal cancer patients requires interdisciplinary approach (96.9). While more than 58% of the respondents were satisfied with their performance of physical and psychological symptoms management and emotional support provided by patient's family members, 64% of the responded answered that their general management of the end-of-life care was less than satisfactory. Doctors without prior experience in referring their patients to palliative care specialists accounted for 26.6% of the respondents. The most common barrier to hospice referral, cited by 47.7% of the respondents, was "refusal of patient or family member", followed by "lack of available palliative care resources" (46.1%). Conclusion: Although most doctors do recognize the importance of palliative care for advanced cancer patients, comprehensive and sufficient palliative medicine, including interdisciplinary cooperation and end-of-life care, has not been put into practice. Thus, more active palliative consultation or referral is needed for effective care of terminal cancer patients.

• Hospice
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• s.35
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• pp.19-30
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• 2006

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.223-231
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand terminal cancer patient's experiences of home-based hospice care. Methods: The data were collected from July 2011 through September 2010. Data were collected from 10 terminal cancer patients who received home-based hospice care services and by using in-depth interview. The data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method. Results: Data were classified by 25 themes comprising 14 theme clusters and five categories. The five categories were 'life quality deterioration', 'appreciation', 'acceptance of the rest of their lives', 'Prepared for death with religion', 'negative coping'. Conclusion: Systematic hospice care should be provided to understand life experience of patients with terminal cancer who receive home-based hospice care, to help them overcome negative experiences and grow a positive perspective.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.34-44
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• 2003

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of hospice care on pain management of the terminal cancer patients. Method : The subjects of the study were 37 terminal cancer patients hospitalized in the general hospital in JeonJu with the hospice care nit. The data were collected using the questionaire with interviews from July to Nov. in 2000. The severity and interference of pain were examined with the self reported survey based on the Korean version of Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-K). The data were analyzed with the mean, SDs, paired t-test. The hospice care to provide for three weeks. Results : 1) The mean scores of the worst pain for the last 24-hours measured with the pain severity of BPI-K were pre-intervention (6.35) and post (4.76). The pain interference of BPI-K in pre-intervention was enjoy (8.22), work (7.46), walk (7.08) and activity (7.08), while post was of enjoy (6.62), work (6.43), walk (6.11) and activity (5.78), respectively. 2) In pain severity, significant difference was found between the pre-intervention and post in all of followings. - worst pain for last 24 hours (t=4.085, P=.000) - least pain for last 24 hours (t=4.020, P=.000) - average pain for last 24 hours (t=4.254, P=.000) - pain right now (t=4.017, P=.000) 3) In pain interference, significant difference was found between the pre- intervention and the post in all of followings. - activity (t=3.137, P=.003) - mood (t=6.713, P=.000) - walk (t=2.027, P=.050) - work (t=2.132, P=.040) - relate (t=4.143, P=.000) - sleep (t=4.071, P=.000) - enjoy (t=3.881, P=.000) Conclusion : The terminal cancer patients who were offered hospice care had significantly lower hospice care pain and pain interference than those without hospice care. According to these results, hospice care can be regarded as an effective modality in relief of pain in the terminal ill-patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.183-187
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• 2012

The importance of palliative care for terminal cancer patients has been emphasized globally. Korea has formulated and implemented its policy for cancer control as it drew up a 10-year plan for cancer patient care. We examined Korea's National Cancer Act and the second 10-year plan for cancer patient care, which are legal grounds for palliative care projects for terminal cancer patients, to check the current status of Korea's efforts to establish a hospice and palliative care system. Institutionalization of hospice and palliative care has been developed within a framework of the national cancer project. Efforts such as expansion of hospice units, experts training and quality improvement should continue after the reimbursement of hospice and palliative care begins in 2013.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.99-107
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• 2012

Purpose: Most terminally ill cancer patients die from cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome. This study evaluated a prognostic role of plasma leptin levels in terminally ill cancer patients. Methods: This study enrolled 69 terminally ill cancer patients who were aged above 20 years old from July 2009 to July 2010. For univariate analysis, an association between leptin levels and patient's characteristics or other variables was examined using Spearman's correlation analysis, Wilcoxon's rank-sum test or Kruskal-Wallis test, as appropriately. For multivariable analysis, Cox's proportional hazard regression model was used to evaluate a clinical significance of plasma leptin levels as a prognostic factor and to determine factors which affect the risk of death in terminally ill cancer patients. Results: A statistically significant positive correlation between plasma leptin levels and survival time was found. Univariate Cox's proportional hazard regression analyses also showed a moderately significant association between plasma leptin levels and survival time. However, after adjusting variables for sex, white blood cell counts, total bilirubin, AST, ALT, albumin and CRP levels, plasma leptin levels were not significantly associated with survival time. Conclusion: No significant association was found between plasma leptin levels and survival time in terminally ill cancer patients. However, this study suggested a prognostic value of plasma leptin levels in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.137-143
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the family composition of terminally ill cancer patients admitted to the hospice unit and how it affects their hospice care. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of terminal cancer patients who died in one hospice unit between January 2009 and March 2014. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were examined, and any different made by their marital status was evaluated. We calculated the time interval between cancer diagnosis and hospice admission and the survival period from hospice admission to death and analyzed their association with family composition. Results: When divided by the median time of 13 months between diagnosis and admission, Group B (>13 months) had a significantly higher proportion of patients living with their spouses; (P<0.01). The main decision maker was a spouse (52.9%) in Group B; (P=0.04). Conclusion: Among the characteristics of the family composition, the presence of spouse was an important factor associated with admission to a hospice unit. Clinicians need to be aware of the impact of marital status on end-of-life care. This study indicates that it is helpful to understand family composition of terminallyill cancer patients for an effective palliative and hospice care.