From: Perceptions of palliative care in a South Asian community: findings from an observational study
Respondents on whether they have heard of Palliative Care | |
Yes | 10 (30.3%) |
No | 23 (69.7%) |
If yes to above, level of knowledgea | |
Slightly Knowledgeable | 8 (80%) |
Moderately Knowledgeable | 1 (10%) |
Very Knowledgeable | 1 (10%) |
Participant understanding of the term – Palliative Care | |
Stopping medical treatment only | 1 |
Comfort measures only | 10 |
Total care of a patient with a life limiting illness | 9 |
Symptom management of a life limiting illness | 5 |
Medical assisted aid in dying | 2 |
Other: | |
Pain Management | 2 |
End of Life | 2 |
Invalidatedc | 1 |
Source of information regarding Palliative Care prior to receiving this survey b | |
Not applicable | 17 |
Family Physician / Primary care provider discussed it | 9 |
Close friend or relative’s experience with Palliative Care | 4 |
Know of someone involved or received Palliative Care | 2 |
Conversation with friend / family / acquaintance | 0 |
Employment in health care | 0 |
Media (Radio, Television, Newspaper, Magazine, Website, Social media) | 0 |
Other | 4 |
Perceived benefits associated with palliative careb | |
Better quality of life | 17 |
Less suffering | 18 |
Longer life span | 11 |
More resources provided for patient and family | 15 |
Hastened death | 0 |
Other (Don’t know/Unspecified) | 5 |
Perceived risks associated with palliative care b | |
Worsened quality of life | 3 |
More suffering | 3 |
Shorter life span | 4 |
Stopping treatment | 1 |
Giving up hope | 1 |
Other (Don’t know/Unspecified) | 19 |
Invalidatedc | 6 |
Perceived setting to receive palliative careb | |
Home | 29 |
Hospice | 2 |
Hospital | 14 |
Nursing home / Long-Term Care residence | 2 |
Other | 0 |
Perceived medical professional responsible for providing palliative careb | |
Nurse | 21 |
Doctor | 24 |
Family/Partners/Relatives | 12 |
Homecare Providers/Caregivers/Personal Support Worker | 7 |
Other | 2 |
Perceived most responsible decision maker for Palliative Care Decisions | |
Family Member | 10 |
Family Doctor | 4 |
Patients | 7 |
Specialist | 2 |
Multiple Responses | 11 |
Time point in illness trajectory that participants consider ideal to receive information about Palliative Care | |
I would not want information at any point | 1 |
I would like more information to be generally available | 25 |
I would only want information to be provided if diagnosed with a life threatening illness | 3 |
I would only want information if a life threatening illness became a terminal diagnosis | 4 |
Invalidatedc | 1 |
Discussion about death and dying in the community | |
Not enough | 23 (67.6%) |
About the right amount | 5 (14.7%) |
Too much | 6 (17.6%) |
Whether Palliative Care aligns with cultural values and/or faith/spiritual beliefs | |
Yes | 9 (26.5%) |
No | 15 (44.1%) |
Unsure | 10 (29.4%) |
Importance of religion or spiritual belief to participants in Palliative Care | |
Not important | 5 (14.7%) |
Important | 22 (64.7%) |
Unsure | 7 (20.6%) |