[Palliative home care of cancer patients in the Leipzig region].

BACKGROUND

In many model regions of Germany, palliative home care can be improved for cancer patients over longer periods so that most of these patients could die at home. However, there is a shortage of ambulatory care for dying patients in regions without special agreements for this type of care.

METHODS

The aim of the study was to identify beneficial as well as impedimentary factors of outpatient palliative care. Therefore we interviewed 91 tumour patients and collected medical, psychosocial and sociodemographic data with standardized questionnaires.

RESULTS

Nearly half of the patients (43%) had moderate to strong pain during domestic care and felt depressed (44%) and anxious (26%). Home hospice services, social workers, and psychologists were rarely involved in home care. Ambulatory home care was often interrupted because of hospital stays.

CONCLUSION

Palliative symptom control in outpatients should be performed by qualified and interdisciplinary palliative-care teams, so that patients can receive more psychosocial support and hospital stays can be prevented.