Health status and actions of patients under palliative care assisted by a multidisciplinary home care team: an epidemiological analysis
Patients under palliative care
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13037/ras.vol23.e20259119Keywords:
cuidados paliativos integrativos, Equipe de assistência ao paciente, visitadores domiciliaresAbstract
Introduction: Palliative care comprises a set of measures aimed at improving the quality of life of patients and family members who are faced with issues related to a disease that threatens the continuity of life. This care encompasses the prevention and relief of suffering, made possible by early identification, efficient assessment, and treatment of pain, as well as attention to other physical, psychological, and spiritual symptoms. Objectives: To identify the health status and actions of patients in palliative care assisted by a multidisciplinary home care team (MHCT). Materials and Methods: Retrospective research through the analysis of medical records of patients in palliative care assisted by an MHCT in Ceara, Brazil, between January and June 2022, to identify the epidemiological profile and compare the variables analyzed between sexes. Results: In total, 52 participants were included, 21 female and 31 male, median age 80 and 73 years, respectively, without differences between the two groups. The majority of patients were classified as complementary palliation both in the male (64.5%) and female (61.9%) groups. There were no differences between the two groups when comparing the stratification of the palliative care (p=0.38) and monthly income (p=0.98). There was a higher percentage of the presence of a partner in the group of men (74.2%; p= 0.03). Concerning comorbidities, there was a higher percentage of hypertensive women (p=0.02), without differences for other comorbidities. Conclusion: The data presented in this study highlight the importance of the multidisciplinary home care team in attending patients in palliative care.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Thales Bezerra de Alcântara, Yára Juliano, Patrícia Colombo-Souza, Ana Paula Ribeiro, Carolina Nunes França, Neil Ferreira Novo
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