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- Title
Physician-Reported Symptoms and Interventions in People with Intellectual Disabilities Approaching End of Life.
- Authors
Vrijmoeth, Cis; Christians, Milou G. M.; Festen, Dederieke A. M.; Groot, Marieke; van der Heide, Agnes; van der Rijt, Carin C. D.; Tonino, Marijke; Echteld, Michael A.
- Abstract
Background: Insights into symptoms and interventions at the end of life are needed for providing adequate palliative care, but are largely lacking for people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Objectives: We aimed at determining the prevalence rates of physician-reported symptoms from the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) at the moment that physicians recognized patient's death in the foreseeable future. In addition, we aimed at exploring provided interventions as reported by physicians in the period between physicians' recognition of death in the foreseeable future and patients' death. Measurements: In this study, 81 physicians for people with IDs (ID-physicians) completed a retrospective survey about their last patient with IDs with a nonsudden death. Results: On average, patients suffered from three of the eight ESAS symptoms. Fatigue (83%), drowsiness (65%), and decreasing intake (57%) were most reported. ID-physicians reported a median number of four interventions. Interventions were mostly aimed at somatic problems, such as pain and shortness of breath. Burdensome interventions such as surgery or artificial respiration were least or not reported. Palliative sedation was provided in a third of all cases. Conclusion: Although ID-physicians reported a variety of their patients' symptoms and of provided interventions at the end of life, using adequate symptom assessment tools suitable for people with IDs and continuous multidisciplinary collaboration in palliative care are essential to capture symptoms as fully as possible.
- Subjects
CHI-squared test; PEOPLE with intellectual disabilities; QUESTIONNAIRES; RESEARCH funding; SURVEYS; TERMINAL care; RETROSPECTIVE studies; DATA analysis software; MANN Whitney U Test
- Publication
Journal of Palliative Medicine, 2016, Vol 19, Issue 11, p1142
- ISSN
1096-6218
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1089/jpm.2015.0544