• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.125-135
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• 2002

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of depression, discomfort, spirituality, physical care, and opioid use on pain with terminally ill cancer patients in the hospice units. Method : The convenient sample of this study consisted of 58 terminally ill cancer patients at three hospice units in university-affiliated hospitals. Patients were interviewed with structured questionnaires. The data was analyzed using ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multivariate multiple regression. Result : The results of this study were as follows : 1) The mean age of the participants was approximately 57 years. Regarding diagnosis, stomach cancer showed the highest frequency (24.1%), followed by lung cancer (17.2%) and rectal cancer (13.8%). Regarding motivation for admission to the hospice unit, the majority of the participants indicated pain control (67.2%), followed by spiritual care (39.7%), and symptom relief (27.6%). 2) The mean pain level measured by VAS was 5.13 (${\pm}2.61$). Regarding pain type, the highest pain frequency the participants experienced was deep pain (53.4%), followed by multiple pain (20.7%), intestinal pain (17.3%), and neurogenic (5.2%) and superficial pain (3.4%). 3) Regarding the factors influencing pain, the pain level was significantly affected by the depression level (P<0.01) and the opioid use (P<0.01). Conclusion, In summary, the higher the level of pain the terminally ill cancer patents had the higher the depression level as well as the opioid use. Thus, health care professionals need to continuously provide holistic care for them to die comfortably.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.39-47
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the current status of pediatric palliative care provision and how it is perceived by the palliative care experts. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted with 61 hospice institutions. From September through October 2017, a questionnaire was completed by experts from the participating institutions. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Results: Among 61 institutions, palliative care is currently provided for pediatric cancer patients by 11 institutions (18.0%), all of which are concentrated in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi and Gyengsang provinces; 85.2% of all do not plan to provide specialized pediatric palliative care in the future. According to the experts, the main barriers in providing pediatric palliative care were the insufficient number of trained specialists regardless of the delivery type. Experts said that it was appropriate to intervene when children were diagnosed with cancer that was less likely to be cured (33.7%) and to move to palliative care institutions when their conditions worsened (38.2%); and it was necessary to establish a specialized pediatric palliative care system, independent from the existing institutions for adult patients (73.8%). Conclusion: It is necessary to develop an education program to establish a nationwide pediatric palliative care centers. Pediatric palliative care intervention should be provided upon diagnosis rather than at the point of death. Patients should be transferred to palliative care institutions after intervention by their existing pediatric palliative care team at the hospital is started.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.175-180
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• 2008

진행된 암환자에서 피로는 70% 이상이 경험하게 되는 흔한 증상이며 삶의 질을 저하시키는 주된 요인이다. 피로에 대한 선별검사는 "피곤하거나 지친감이 있나요?"라는 단순한 질문으로 가능하며 이미 개발된 평가도구를 사용하여 평가할 수 있다. 동반 질환이나 피로의 원인을 알기 위한 병력청취와 검사실 검사가 필요할 수 있으며 결과에 따라 가역적 인자를 치료하는 과정이 우선되어야 한다. 적절한 약물치료를 시행하여 증상을 호전시킬 수 있으며 이중 methylphenidate는 암 연관 피로를 호전시키고 마약성 진통제에 의한 진정에 효과가 입증되었다. 환자의 여명에 따라 부신 피질 호르몬제도 사용할 수 있고, 운동 및 환자의 교육과 영양관리 또한 중요하다.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.84-91
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aims to investigate treatment of cancer patients at a secondary hospital. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed with electronic medical records of cancer patients admitted to a secondary hospital from January 1, 2009 through September 31, 2017. Results: A total of 223 patients were studied. Sixty-nine patients were hospitalized for supportive care after receiving a surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy at a tertiary hospital, 58 patients for other supportive care, 53 patients for symptom control, 16 patients with a decision not to take active cancer treatment, and 27 patients for treatment of cancer that was diagnosed during their hospital stay. Among 75 patients who were discharged to other institutions, 50 were transferred to tertiary hospitals, 10 to long-term care hospitals, eight to hospice hospitals, four to nursing homes and two to secondary hospitals. Comorbidities were found in 120 patients (53.8%). For patients who consulted with more than one department, more consultations were for non-cancer diseases than cancer. Seventy-three patients had a do-not-resuscitate order. Conclusion: For treatment of cancer patients, it is needed to establish a cooperation system among medical institutions and provide comprehensive management including treatment of comorbidities.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.211-221
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• 2016

Purpose: Dignity therapy is a very effective intervention to improve the dignity of end-stage patients. A concept analysis by Walker and Avant (2005) was adopted to define, describe, and delimitate the concept of dignity therapy. Methods: Nursing literature in the National Digital Science Links (NDSL) and Medline database were searched for the definitions of "dignity" and "dignity therapy". Definitions, uses, and defining attributes of dignity therapy were identified; model and contrary cases were developed; and antecedents, consequences, and empirical references were determined. Results: Through dignity therapy patients and their families share their stories, and that in turn improves the quality of life and death. Five attributes were identified: higher quality of life and death, therapeutic conversation, respect of human dignity and worth, expressing thoughts about life and death and systematic process. Conclusion: Patients at the end of their lives feel more comfortable about death. Hospice care providers should try to protect dignity of patients in their care. The attributes of the dignity therapy clarified in this study should be applied for terminally ill patients to improve their quality of life and death.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2009

The aim of palliative radiotherapy (RT) is to control cancer-related local symptoms with minimal radiation reaction. About one third of all radiation treatments are given with palliative intent. Indications for RT in symptom palliation are as follows: Pain from bone metastasis, pressure symptom from brain and spinal cord, obstruction of bronchus, esophagus, superior vena cava and malignant cancer bleeding from bronchus, urinary tract, uterine cervix and rectum. In hospice palliative care, RT is very effective for symptom palliation and improvement of quality of life without influence on survival.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.256-261
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• 2016

Radiation therapy is an effective modality to alleviate cancer-related symptoms. To deliver radiation accurately, it is essential to secure stability of the treatment position in patients during each treatment time. However, some patients could be less cooperative due to their psychoemotional issues. We present two cases of terminal-stage cancer patients who were initially unable to lie still on the treatment table before simulation. A relaxation technique was taught to them on the bed, and they could relax and undergo radiation therapy with effective symptom relief.

• The Korean Chronic Disease News
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• no.303
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• pp.1-18
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• 2006

한국만성질환관리협회 신준식 부회장/국가 심.뇌혈관 질환 예방위 설치/약제비 절감‘포지티브’제도 강행/6월부터 환자 식대 보험 적용 확정/말기암 환자 호스피스기관 선정/“농촌지역 암.만성질환 관리 시급”/의료법인, 세제개선 헌법소원 추진/‘신약인프라 구축’5개년 계획 추진/화장품에 인태반 원료 사용 금지/약국 간판.광고 규제 대폭 완화/‘한방의학으로 수술 않고, 척추질환 치료’/“건강의 비결은 걷는데 있다”/식이섬유 1일 평균 19.8g 섭취/식도암, 내시경 수술 효과 좋았다/만성질환 관리의 현황과 발전방향/“40~50대 파킨슨병 발생 많다”/전립선비대증 치료‘시알리스’효과 있다/위암 수술 후‘젤로다+ 엘록사틴’투여 평가/

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2014

Pleural metastasis from breast cancer is a common manifestation. While pleural effusion is the most frequent finding, it is relatively rare for pleural nodularity and plaque that do not accompany pleural effusion. We report a patient with a rapidly growing huge pleural mass without pleural effusion caused by breast cancer. The patient was treated for severe dyspnea caused by the pleural mass. Along with the case report, we performed a systematic review of management of dyspnea in terminal cancer patients.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2006

Purpose: Terminal cancer influences on patients as well as their family members. This research was performed to evaluate the quality of lift of primary family caregivers and to investigate the influencing factors. Methods: The results of survey were collected from 81 family caregivers who were taking care of hospitalized terminal cancer patients at an oncology department of university hospital in Daejeon from March 2005 to January 2006 with questionnaires. The questionnaires were consisted of the general characteristics of the subjects, and 36-items short-form Health Survey (SE-36) Korean version to evaluate the quality of life of family caregivers, the characteristics of patients and family caregivers' caring trait. Results: Family caregivers' mean (${\pm}SD$) SF-36 score was 47.9 (${\pm}20.7$). Influential factors on family caregivers' life quality were daily raring hours, economic burden, type of treatment; only supportive care, caring duration, sex, the numbers of ADLs (activity of daily livings) items that patients needed help in order by stepwised multiple logistic regression analysis (overall $R^2=0.639$, P=0.044). Conclusion: Daily raring hours and economic burden were two influential modifiable factors on family caregivers' quality of life. Therefore, social supportive systems are required to reduce family caregivers' daily caring hour and economic burden.