Development of decision-making support tools for the end-of-life care lplace for cancer patients and their families

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19687
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 58070:Lifelong developmental nursing-related
• Research Institution: Sophia University
• Principal Investigator: TAMURA Namiko 上智大学, 総合人間科学部, 助教 (60613271)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: がん患者・家族 / 緩和ケア主体の時期 / 療養場所の選択

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study clarifies the timing and content of discussions between cancer patients and their families regarding the choice of treatment location during the period of palliative care, and the factors that influence the discussions. Interviews and questionnaire surveys were conducted on the bereaved families of cancer patients.
As a result, it was clarified that the content of communication between patients and their families and the influential factors were clarified, and that communication regarding the place of end of life care had a great influence on the QOL of patients during the period of palliative care. It was also shown that communication before the stage when standard treatment options disappeared affects early decision of place and the QOL of palliative care stage's patients.

Free Research Field

看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで緩和ケア主体の時期の療養場所に関するがん患者・家族のコミュニケーションの内容や影響を与える要因、効果的な時期、またコミュニケーションが図られることの成果が十分に明らかになっていなかった。それにより、早期から看護師・医師が患者・家族に緩和ケア主体の時期の療養場所選択に関して、十分な介入を行うことができていなかった。
本研究によりこれまでの課題が明らかになり、病棟看護師に加えて昨今がん治療の主軸を担う外来看護の実践現場において、治療期から緩和ケア主体の時期を見越し患者・家族を継続してアセスメントし介入することにつなげられると考える。