Pai Radhika R, Ghoshal Arun, Udupa Karthik, Pai Ananth, Mailankody Sharada, Damani Anuja, Rao Krithika S, Prabhu Shwetha, Nayak Malathi G, Salins Naveen
Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
Department of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care, Kasturba Medical College Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
BMC Palliat Care. 2025 Jul 14;24(1):201. doi: 10.1186/s12904-025-01811-5.
Patients with hematological malignancies frequently experience complex physical, psychological, and spiritual concerns due to disease progression and intensive therapies. Despite these needs, palliative care services are often underutilized. This study aimed to assess the palliative care needs of adult patients with hematological malignancies and their caregivers in a tertiary care setting in India.
A descriptive survey was conducted from October 2022 to February 2023, involving 200 patients and their caregivers in oncology wards. The Needs Assessment Tool for Progressive Disease-Cancer (NAT: PD-C) was used to evaluate physical, psychological, and social needs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in Jamovi 2.0.0.
Of the 200 patients, 55.5% reported no unresolved physical symptoms, while 9.5% had significant concerns, including fatigue, pain, and breathlessness. Psychological distress was noted in 16% of patients, with 15.62% requiring referral to specialized services. Caregivers reported significant concerns regarding physical strain (2%) and psychological distress (14%). Only 9.55% of patients were referred to specialist palliative care services, highlighting a gap in timely palliative care access.
Despite a high burden of symptoms, specialist palliative care services are underutilized for patients with hematological malignancies. Early integration of palliative care can improve symptom management, reduce psychological distress, and enhance patients' and caregivers' quality of life. Training healthcare providers in palliative care principles and establishing standardized referral pathways are essential to address these unmet needs.
血液系统恶性肿瘤患者常因疾病进展和强化治疗而面临复杂的身体、心理和精神问题。尽管有这些需求,但姑息治疗服务的利用率往往较低。本研究旨在评估印度一家三级医疗机构中成年血液系统恶性肿瘤患者及其照顾者的姑息治疗需求。
2022年10月至2023年2月进行了一项描述性调查,涉及肿瘤病房的200名患者及其照顾者。使用进展性疾病-癌症需求评估工具(NAT: PD-C)来评估身体、心理和社会需求。在Jamovi 2.0.0中使用描述性统计方法对数据进行分析。
在200名患者中,55.5%报告没有未解决的身体症状,而9.5%有严重问题,包括疲劳、疼痛和呼吸急促。16%的患者存在心理困扰,其中15.62%需要转介至专科服务。照顾者报告了对身体负担(2%)和心理困扰(14%)的严重担忧。只有9.55%的患者被转介至专科姑息治疗服务,这凸显了在及时获得姑息治疗方面的差距。
尽管症状负担较重,但血液系统恶性肿瘤患者对专科姑息治疗服务的利用率较低。早期整合姑息治疗可以改善症状管理、减轻心理困扰并提高患者和照顾者的生活质量。培训医疗保健提供者掌握姑息治疗原则并建立标准化的转介途径对于满足这些未满足的需求至关重要。