Soares Isabella, Natuhwera Germanus
University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Hospice Africa Uganda, Kampala, Uganda.
Sci Rep. 2025 Mar 27;15(1):10564. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-91738-x.
As many as 80% of patients receiving palliative care at Hospice Africa Uganda have cancer and/or HIV/AIDS. Given that cancer and HIV/AIDS have different trajectories since antiretroviral therapy (ART) became widely available, these two patients groups may differ in their care needs. This study's main objective was to identify, summarise and compare the reasons for referral, main distresses, and goals of care among cancer and HIV/AIDS patients in palliative care. A cross-sectional study employing a retrospective design was conducted on 100 consecutively sampled charts consisting of 50 cancer and 50 HIV/AIDS patients. Data were extracted using a researcher-developed structured checklist. Data were entered and analysed in STATA, version 17 using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square (χ) test. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The primary reason for referral to palliative care was pain and symptom control at 22 (44%) and 36(72%) among cancer patients and HIV/AIDS patients respectively (χ = 8.046, P = 0.005). The most prevalent main distress in both groups was unrelieved pain at 23(46%) in the cancer group versus 24(48%) in the HIV/AIDS group (χ = 0.0401, P = 0.841). The most common goal of care was pain and symptom control at 33(66%) and 29(58%) among cancer patients and HIV/AIDS patients respectively (χ = 0.6791, P = 0.41). The study findings showed that pain is the most prevalent symptom and the main cause of distress in HIV/AIDs and cancer patients in palliative care. Clinicians need to prioritize pain and symptoms assessment and management in order to optimise quality of life for patients and their families.
在乌干达非洲临终关怀医院接受姑息治疗的患者中，多达80%患有癌症和/或艾滋病毒/艾滋病。鉴于自抗逆转录病毒疗法（ART）广泛应用以来，癌症和艾滋病毒/艾滋病有着不同的病程，这两类患者群体的护理需求可能存在差异。本研究的主要目的是识别、总结和比较姑息治疗中癌症患者和艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者的转诊原因、主要痛苦及护理目标。采用回顾性设计进行了一项横断面研究，对连续抽取的100份病历进行分析，其中包括50例癌症患者和50例艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者。使用研究人员制定的结构化检查表提取数据。数据录入STATA 17版，采用描述性统计和卡方（χ）检验进行分析。P值小于0.05被认为具有统计学意义。转诊至姑息治疗的主要原因分别是癌症患者中的22例（44%）和艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者中的36例（72%）的疼痛及症状控制（χ = 8.046，P = 0.005）。两组中最普遍的主要痛苦都是疼痛未缓解，癌症组为23例（46%），艾滋病毒/艾滋病组为24例（48%）（χ = 0.0401，P = 0.841）。最常见的护理目标分别是癌症患者中的33例（66%）和艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者中的29例（58%）的疼痛及症状控制（χ = 0.6791，P = 0.41）。研究结果表明，疼痛是姑息治疗中艾滋病毒/艾滋病患者和癌症患者最普遍的症状及痛苦的主要原因。临床医生需要优先进行疼痛和症状评估及管理，以优化患者及其家属的生活质量。
