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A comparison of symptoms in older hospitalised cancer and non-cancer patients in need of palliative care: a secondary analysis of two cross-sectional studies.
- Source :
- BMC Geriatrics; 2/5/2018, Vol. 18, p1-1, 1p, 4 Charts, 1 Graph
- Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- <bold>Background: </bold>Evidence on the differences in symptom patterns between older palliative cancer and non-cancer patients is lacking. The purpose of the study was to determine the differences in symptoms between older hospitalised palliative cancer and non-cancer patients.<bold>Methods: </bold>A secondary analysis of two multi-centre cross-sectional studies was performed. A validated instrument was used to assess the frequency and intensity of 40 symptoms in older hospitalised palliative cancer patients (n = 100) and older palliative non-cancer patients (n = 100). The data were collected between March 2013 and June 2015. Differences between groups were measured statistically.<bold>Results: </bold>Overall, similarities in symptom patterns were observed between cancer and non-cancer patients. Some minor differences were detected between the groups. Non-cancer patients experienced significantly more physical symptoms and functional dependence than cancer patients. Patients with cancer experienced higher levels of frequency and intensity of psychological symptoms compared to non-cancer patients.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Healthcare professionals should be aware of the high occurrence of symptoms in both cancer and non-cancer patients, and they should be educated about the systematic assessment of symptoms in multiple domains by accounting for the occurrence of generic symptoms and disease-specific symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 14712318
- Volume :
- 18
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- BMC Geriatrics
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 127809185
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-018-0721-7