Quality of life of community-based palliative care clients and their caregivers

Connell, T; Fernandez, RS; Tran, D; Griffiths, R; Harlum, J; Agar, M

Quality of life of community-based palliative care clients and their caregivers

Connell, T Fernandez, RS Tran, D Griffiths, R Harlum, J Agar, M

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Palliative & supportive care, 2013, 11 (4), pp. 323 - 330
Issue Date:: 2013-08-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Connell, T	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Fernandez, RS	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Tran, D	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Griffiths, R	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Harlum, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Agar, M https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6756-6119	en_US
dc.date.issued	2013-08-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Palliative & supportive care, 2013, 11 (4), pp. 323 - 330	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/115784
dc.description.abstract	OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate health-related quality of life of palliative care (PC) clients and their caregivers, at baseline and follow-up, following a referral to a community PC service.METHOD: Quality of life of clients and their caregivers was respectively measured using the McGill Quality of Life instrument (MQoL) and the Caregiver Quality of Life Cancer Index (CQoLC) instruments. Participants were recruited from June 8 to October 27, 2006. This study was undertaken in one zone of an Area Health Service in New South Wales, which has a diverse socioeconomic population. The zone covers an area of 6237 km2 and is divided into five sectors, each with a PC service, all of which participated in this study.RESULTS: Data were obtained from 49 clients and 43 caregivers at baseline, and 22 clients and 12 caregivers at 8 week follow-up. Twenty-one participants died and six moved out of the area during the study. At baseline, clients reported a low mean score for physical symptoms (3.3 ± 1.9) and a high score for support (8.7 ± 1.0). Caregivers scored a total CQoLC of 63.9 ± 21.4 and clients had a total QOL of 6.1 ± 1.3. At follow up, matched data for 22 clients and 13 caregivers demonstrated no statistical differences in quality of life.SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: This study has provided evidence that health-related quality of life questionnaires show lower scores for physical health and higher scores for support, which can directly inform specific interventions targeted at the physical and support domains.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Palliative & supportive care	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1017/S1478951512000260	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Palliative Care	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Severity of Illness Index	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Prospective Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Quality of Life	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Caregivers	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Patients	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Community Health Services	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	New South Wales	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Male	en_US
dc.title	Quality of life of community-based palliative care clients and their caregivers	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	11	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/IMPACCT
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	11	en_US

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate health-related quality of life of palliative care (PC) clients and their caregivers, at baseline and follow-up, following a referral to a community PC service.METHOD: Quality of life of clients and their caregivers was respectively measured using the McGill Quality of Life instrument (MQoL) and the Caregiver Quality of Life Cancer Index (CQoLC) instruments. Participants were recruited from June 8 to October 27, 2006. This study was undertaken in one zone of an Area Health Service in New South Wales, which has a diverse socioeconomic population. The zone covers an area of 6237 km2 and is divided into five sectors, each with a PC service, all of which participated in this study.RESULTS: Data were obtained from 49 clients and 43 caregivers at baseline, and 22 clients and 12 caregivers at 8 week follow-up. Twenty-one participants died and six moved out of the area during the study. At baseline, clients reported a low mean score for physical symptoms (3.3 ± 1.9) and a high score for support (8.7 ± 1.0). Caregivers scored a total CQoLC of 63.9 ± 21.4 and clients had a total QOL of 6.1 ± 1.3. At follow up, matched data for 22 clients and 13 caregivers demonstrated no statistical differences in quality of life.SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: This study has provided evidence that health-related quality of life questionnaires show lower scores for physical health and higher scores for support, which can directly inform specific interventions targeted at the physical and support domains.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/115784