End‐of‐life care needs for noncancer patients who want to die at home in South Korea

Abstract

Aim The awareness for the need for end‐of‐life care has increased among noncancer patients. However, studies on the topic have rarely targeted the needs of noncancer patients who want to die at home. This study assessed the end‐of‐life care needs of noncancer patients who were receiving care and wanted to die at home. Methods A cross‐sectional study design was used and involved 200 participants who were diagnosed as noncancer patients and receiving home care nursing. Data were collected on demographics, disease, Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) scores, and end‐of‐life care needs, in April and May, 2016. Results Among the six areas of care, “supporting fundamental needs” of patients required the most care, followed by “coordination among family or relatives.” Multivariate analysis revealed that the duration of home care nursing held a significant association with end‐of‐life care needs. Conclusion By reflecting on the comprehensive care needs of patients with chronic illnesses and including them in the care process, it will be possible to provide better quality palliative care to patients at home in the end‐of‐life stages.

Cost of Care and Pattern of Medical Care Use in the Last Year of Life among Long-Term Care Insurance Beneficiaries in South Korea: Using National Claims Data

“…A survey of Korean older adults indicated that home is the preferred place of death [22,25]. However, the proportion of participants in this study who died at home declined during the study period (from 34 to 20%), whereas the proportion of those who died in LTC facilities increased (from 13 to 26%); the remaining participants (about half) died in hospitals, and the rate remained relatively stable.…”

“…Long-term exacerbation issues among older adults relate to dependence, social isolation, and family burden, such that they would not return to their homes once they are in LTC facilities. This implies that EOL care at home and LTC facilities are necessary [25]. The perception of EOL care among older adults and their families should also be changed regarding the determination of the place of death and be supported by public education.…”

Identifying Core Domains to Assess the “Quality of Death”: A Scoping Review

“…Sub-domain 2, access to physical care, pertains to professional management of physical symptoms and related distress such as pain 53,69,106,130,135,174,[179][180][181][182] while sub-domain 3, access to psychological care, is the guarantee of the same for psychological symptoms and related distress. 53,101,106,116,135,183 Physical care includes the neglected area of oral care due to high prevalence of dental conditions at EoL and as oral health was expressed as important to quality of life.…”

Barriers to advance care planning among patients with advanced serious illnesses: A national survey of health-care professionals in Singapore

“…Many patients dying with advanced serious illnesses receive end-of-life care inconsistent with their goals and preferences (Covinsky et al 2000;Dy 2016;Khandelwal et al 2017). Although most wish to die at home and be free of any suffering (Heyland et al 2017;Lee et al 2020;Malhotra et al 2015Malhotra et al , 2017Mandel et al 2017;Tang 2003), many are unable to do so (Mandel et al 2017;O'Brien and Jack 2010). Advance care planning (ACP) is an intervention that aims to facilitate end-of-life care consistent with an individual's preferences (Brinkman-Stoppelenburg et al 2014).…”