Assessment of Quality of Life of Family Members of Inpatients with End-Stage Disease

Background: An important aim of palliative care is to ensure the highest possible quality of life (QoL) for the family members of patients. Aim: We aimed to determine the QoL of family members of hospitalized patients with end-stage disease, as well as differences in QoL based on socio-demographic c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of palliative care 2015-12, Vol.31 (4), p.250-257
Main Authors: Buzgova, R, Kozakova, R, Sikorova, L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Caregivers
Cronbach's alpha
Czech Republic
Family - psychology
Female
Humans
Illnesses
Inpatients
Karnofsky Performance Status
Male
Middle Aged
Palliative care
Palliative Care - psychology
Patients
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Quality of life
Quality of Life - psychology
Questionnaires
Sociodemographics
Socioeconomic Factors
Terminally Ill
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Summary:Background: An important aim of palliative care is to ensure the highest possible quality of life (QoL) for the family members of patients. Aim: We aimed to determine the QoL of family members of hospitalized patients with end-stage disease, as well as differences in QoL based on socio-demographic characteristics and the patient's functional status, psychological distress, and QoL. Methods: Study participants were 292 family members of terminally ill patients at University Hospital, Ostrava, Czech Republic. To evaluate family members' QoL, we used the Quality of Life in Life-Threatening Illness — Family Carer Version (QOLLTI-F). We used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) Scale to assess patients' functional status and psychological distress. Results: A statistically significant difference was found in QoL evaluation based on family members' socio-demographic characteristics in education, employment, and age. A significantly lower QoL score was observed for patients' life partners in six domains. A correlation was found between patients' poorer functional status and family members' lower QoL. We found lower global QoL in family members of patients with depression. Conclusion: Family support is a cornerstone of palliative care. Palliative care professionals should focus on at-risk family members — the life partners of patients, the unemployed, younger people, and those whose ill loved one has a poor functional status.
ISSN:0825-8597
2369-5293
DOI:10.1177/082585971503100407