TY - JOUR
T1 - Dying patients' need for emotional support and personalized care from physicians
T2 - Perspectives of patients with terminal illness, families, and health care providers
AU - Wenrich, Marjorie D.
AU - Curtis, J. Randall
AU - Ambrozy, Donna A.
AU - Carline, Jan D.
AU - Shannon, Sarah E.
AU - Ramsey, Paul G.
N1 - Funding Information:
Project support was provided by the Open Society Institute Project on Death in America. The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funding organization.
PY - 2003/3/1
Y1 - 2003/3/1
N2 - This study addressed the emotional and personal needs of dying patients and the ways physicians help or hinder these needs. Twenty focus groups were held with 137 individuals, including patients with chronic and terminal illnesses, family members, health care workers, and physicians. Content analyses were performed based on grounded theory. Emotional support and personalization were 2 of the 12 domains identified as important in end-of-life care. Components of emotional support were compassion, responsiveness to emotional needs, maintaining hope and a positive attitude, and providing comfort through touch. Components of personalization were treating the whole person and not just the disease, making the patient feel unique and special, and considering the patient's social situation. Although the levels of emotional support and personalization varied, there was a minimal level, defined by compassion and treating the whole person and not just the disease, that physicians should strive to meet in caring for all dying patients. Participants also identified intermediate and advanced levels of physician behavior that provide emotional and personal support.
AB - This study addressed the emotional and personal needs of dying patients and the ways physicians help or hinder these needs. Twenty focus groups were held with 137 individuals, including patients with chronic and terminal illnesses, family members, health care workers, and physicians. Content analyses were performed based on grounded theory. Emotional support and personalization were 2 of the 12 domains identified as important in end-of-life care. Components of emotional support were compassion, responsiveness to emotional needs, maintaining hope and a positive attitude, and providing comfort through touch. Components of personalization were treating the whole person and not just the disease, making the patient feel unique and special, and considering the patient's social situation. Although the levels of emotional support and personalization varied, there was a minimal level, defined by compassion and treating the whole person and not just the disease, that physicians should strive to meet in caring for all dying patients. Participants also identified intermediate and advanced levels of physician behavior that provide emotional and personal support.
KW - Emotional
KW - End-of-life care
KW - Physician competence
KW - Qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0037334538&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0037334538&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0885-3924(02)00694-2
DO - 10.1016/S0885-3924(02)00694-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 12614958
AN - SCOPUS:0037334538
SN - 0885-3924
VL - 25
SP - 236
EP - 246
JO - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
JF - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
IS - 3
ER -