The Landscape of Distress in the Terminally Ill

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dc.contributor.authorSinclair, Shane
dc.contributor.authorChochinov, Harvey Max
dc.contributor.authorHassard, Thomas
dc.contributor.authorMcClement, Susan
dc.contributor.authorHack, Thomas
dc.contributor.authorKristjanson, Linda
dc.contributor.authorHarlos, Mike
dc.contributor.authorMurray, Alison
dc.date.accessioned2016-07-22T19:43:38Z
dc.date.available2016-07-22T19:43:38Z
dc.date.issued2016
dc.description.abstractUnderstanding the complexities of distress and knowing who is most vulnerable is foundational to the provision of quality, palliative end-of-life care. While prior studies have examined the prevalence of symptom distress amongst patients nearing death, these studies have tended to largely focus on physical and to a lesser extent, psychological challenges. The aim of this study was to use the Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI), a novel, reliable and validated measure of end-of-life distress, to describe a broad landscape of distress in patients who are terminally ill. The PDI, a 25-item self report, was administered to 253 patients receiving palliative care. Each PDI item is rated by patients to indicate the degree to which they experience various kinds of end-of-life distress. Palliative care patients reported an average of 5.74 problems (SD 5.49; range=0–24), including physical, psychological, existential and spiritual challenges. Being an inpatient; being educated and having a partner were associated with certain kinds of end-of-life problems, particularly existential distress. Spirituality, especially its existential or ‘sense of meaning and purpose’ dimension was associated with less distress for terminally ill patients. A better appreciation for the nature of distress is a critical step towards a fuller understanding of the challenges facing the terminally ill. A clear articulation of the landscape of distress, including insight regarding those who are most at risk, should pave the way towards more effective, dignity-conserving end-of-life care.en_US
dc.description.refereedYesen_US
dc.identifier.citationSinclair, Shane, et al. (2016). The Landscape of the Terminally Ill.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/10688
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/51507
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisher.departmentOncologyen_US
dc.publisher.facultyCumming School of Medicineen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen_US
dc.subjectDistressen_US
dc.subjectPatient Dignity Inventoryen_US
dc.subjectPalliative Careen_US
dc.titleThe Landscape of Distress in the Terminally Illen_US
dc.typejournal article
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