Palliative care viewed as a stigma, despite improving quality of life for cancer outpatients

medicalnews
 April 18, 2016

 "Patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers described palliative care as carrying a negative stigma associated with death and with care at the very end of life, which provoked fear and avoidance," writes Dr. Camilla Zimmermann.....

 
The term palliative care carries a stigma for patients and their caregivers, who regard it as synonymous with impending death. Education, and possibly a name change, will be necessary to be able to integrate palliative care into routine advanced cancer care, according to new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Palliative care is designed to improve the quality of life of patients with a serious illness and their families. The World Health Organization and all major national and international cancer societies encourage early access to palliative care. Research indicates that for people with advanced cancer, early palliative care benefits both physical and mental health and can even extend life.
However, a new study found that even patients who have benefited from early palliative care feel stigmatized because they see it as being associated with the end of life......

Research: Perceptions of palliative care among patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers, Camilla Zimmermann MD PhD, Nadia Swami BSc, Monika Krzyzanowska MD MPH, Natasha Leighl MD MMSc, Anne Rydall MSc, Gary Rodin MD, Ian Tannock MD PhD, Breffni Hannon MB ChB, CMAJ, doi: 10.1503/cmaj.151171, published 18 April 2016. open access
Commentary: Palliative care: renaming as supportive care and integration into comprehensive cancer care, Anthony J. Caprio MD, CMAJ, doi: 10.1503/cmaj.160206, published 18 April 2016.(only available $$)
Podcast: Palliative care still synonymous with death despite early integration with cancer care (SoundCloud)