科研之友
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摘要
Context. The integration of family members in the dying process and the recognition of their special needs are important factors for the development of high-quality palliative care. %26lt;br%26gt;Objectives. This study aimed to explore important needs and personal experiences of relatives at the end of life, and to detect differences in these needs and experiences for various care settings. %26lt;br%26gt;Methods. Our cross-sectional survey was based on a random sampling of 5000 inhabitants of Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany) who died between May 25 and August 24, 2008. Relatives of these randomly drawn deceased persons were interviewed by a written survey. %26lt;br%26gt;Results. A total of 1378 questionnaires were completed (response rate 36.0%), with 1337 eligible for our analyses; 81.5% of the bereaved totally/partially agreed that the information received from physicians was comprehensive and sufficient; 7.5% neither agreed nor disagreed; and 11.0% partially/totally disagreed. Of the respondents, 54.1% totally/partially agreed to having received emotional support by physicians, 14.2% neither agreed nor disagreed, and 31.7% partially/totally disagreed. Physicians in nursing homes and standard hospital wards were rated less favorably. Whereas the professionals%26apos; lack of time was strongly associated with the unfulfilled needs for emotional support, many relatives also lacked this type of care when physicians seemed to have enough time. %26lt;br%26gt;Conclusion. The high rates of unfulfilled needs of relatives across all care settings and all types of diseases reinforce the necessity of a comprehensive palliative care approach. An increased awareness of the psychological vulnerability of caregivers should lead to dedicated efforts to improve deficits in the German health care system. J Pain Symptom Manage 2012;44:542-551.
- 出版日期2012-10
