TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of a Home-Based Palliative Heart Failure Program on Quality of Life, Symptom Burden, Satisfaction and Caregiver Burden
T2 - A Randomized Controlled Trial
AU - Ng, Alina Yee Man
AU - Wong, Frances Kam Yuet
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank Mr. Edward Choi for assisting in the statistical analysis. They thank all the palliative home care nurses, volunteers, and patients who participated. They also thank the palliative care teams at Grantham Hospital, Haven of Hope Hospital, and the United Christian Hospital for facilitating this study. The work described in this paper was fully supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (RGC Ref No 549212). The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017
PY - 2018/1
Y1 - 2018/1
N2 - Context Provision of home-based palliative care (PC) for seriously ill patients is important, yet few home-based PC services specifically or exclusively focus on end-stage heart failure (ESHF) patients. Objectives This study aimed to examine the effect of a home-based palliative heart failure (HPHF) program on quality of life (QOL), symptoms burden, functional status, patient satisfaction, and caregiver burden among patients with ESHF. Methods This study was a two-group randomized controlled trial undertaken in three hospitals. We recruited a total of 84 hospitalized ESHF patients who were referred to PC. They were randomized to the intervention or control group. The intervention group received a 12-week structured program with regular home visits/telephone calls provided by the nurse case managers. Data were collected at baseline (T1) and at four (T2) and 12 weeks (T3) after discharge. Results A statistically significant between-group effect was found, with the HPHF group having significantly higher McGill QOL total score than the control group (P = 0.016) and there was significant group × time interaction effect (P = 0.032). There was no significant between-group effects detected for the measures of symptom distress or functional status at 12 weeks. The intervention group had higher satisfaction (P = 0.001) and lower caregiver burden (P = 0.024) than the control group at 12 weeks. Conclusion The HPHF program is effective in enhancing the QOL of ESHF patients, satisfaction with care, and caregiver burden. The program has potential to reduce distress for some of the symptoms.
AB - Context Provision of home-based palliative care (PC) for seriously ill patients is important, yet few home-based PC services specifically or exclusively focus on end-stage heart failure (ESHF) patients. Objectives This study aimed to examine the effect of a home-based palliative heart failure (HPHF) program on quality of life (QOL), symptoms burden, functional status, patient satisfaction, and caregiver burden among patients with ESHF. Methods This study was a two-group randomized controlled trial undertaken in three hospitals. We recruited a total of 84 hospitalized ESHF patients who were referred to PC. They were randomized to the intervention or control group. The intervention group received a 12-week structured program with regular home visits/telephone calls provided by the nurse case managers. Data were collected at baseline (T1) and at four (T2) and 12 weeks (T3) after discharge. Results A statistically significant between-group effect was found, with the HPHF group having significantly higher McGill QOL total score than the control group (P = 0.016) and there was significant group × time interaction effect (P = 0.032). There was no significant between-group effects detected for the measures of symptom distress or functional status at 12 weeks. The intervention group had higher satisfaction (P = 0.001) and lower caregiver burden (P = 0.024) than the control group at 12 weeks. Conclusion The HPHF program is effective in enhancing the QOL of ESHF patients, satisfaction with care, and caregiver burden. The program has potential to reduce distress for some of the symptoms.
KW - Palliative care
KW - end-stage heart failure
KW - randomized controlled trial
KW - transitional care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85032811000&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.07.047
DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2017.07.047
M3 - Article
C2 - 28801001
AN - SCOPUS:85032811000
SN - 0885-3924
VL - 55
SP - 1
EP - 11
JO - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
JF - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
IS - 1
ER -