Contributing and Relieving Factors of Suffering in Palliative Care Cancer Patients

A Descriptive Study

Bibliographic Data

ID13630382
AuthorsTan Seng Beng (0000-0002-0649-0739, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Lembah Pantai, Malaysia, corresponding author), Ting Ting Tan (Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Lembah Pantai, Malaysia), Maw Pin Tan (0000-0002-3400-8540, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Lembah Pantai, Malaysia), Kim Kee Loo (Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Lembah Pantai, Malaysia), Poh Khuen Lim (0000-0001-8779-5958, Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Lembah Pantai, Malaysia), Chong Guan Ng (0000-0003-1755-9188, Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Lembah Pantai, Malaysia), Ee Chin Loh (Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Lembah Pantai, Malaysia), Chee Loong Lam (0000-0001-7643-3230, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Lembah Pantai, Malaysia)
Year2020
Volume85
Issue3
Pages732-752
Publication date2020-07-14
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueOMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0030222820942642
PMID32664784
OpenAlexW3042945764
LanguageEN
References cited42

To palliate suffering, understanding the circumstances leading to suffering and its amelioration could be helpful. Our study aimed to explore contributing and relieving factors of suffering in palliative care. Adult palliative care stage III or IV cancer in-patients were recruited from University of Malaya Medical Centre. Participants recorded their overall suffering score from 0 to 10 three times daily, followed by descriptions of their contributing and relieving factors. Factors of suffering were thematically analysed with NVIVO. Descriptive data were analysed with SPSS. 108 patients participated. The most common contributing factor of suffering was health factor (96.3%), followed by healthcare factor (78.7%), psychological factor (63.0%) and community factor (20.4%). The most common relieving factor was health factor (88.9%), followed by psychological factor (78.7%), community factor (75.9%) and healthcare factor (70.4%). Self-reported assessment of suffering offers a rapid approach to detect bothering issues that require immediate attention and further in-depth exploration

Cancer · Descriptive research · Descriptive statistics · Factor (programming language · Family medicine · Health care · Palliative care · Protective factor · Family and Patient Care in Intensive Care Units · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Nursing · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues · Patient Dignity and Privacy · Psychology

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