The Application and Influence of Hospice Care Among Patients with Advanced Esophageal Cancer

Zheng-Fang Li; Meng-Jie Liu

doi:10.2147/IJGM.S326589

The Application and Influence of Hospice Care Among Patients with Advanced Esophageal Cancer

Int J Gen Med. 2021 Oct 15:14:6839-6845. doi: 10.2147/IJGM.S326589. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Zheng-Fang Li^{1

2}, Meng-Jie Liu^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ School of Nursing, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, People's Republic of China.
² Chest Cancer Center, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, 400030, People's Republic of China.
³ Department of Nursing, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, 646000, People's Republic of China.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the application effect of hospice care in patients with advanced esophageal cancer (EC), provide a practical basis for improving sleep quality, dignity, and subjective well-being, and relieving depression and anxiety in patients with advanced EC.

Methods: A randomized cluster sampling method was used to select 60 patients with advanced EC who received routine intervention (control group) and 64 patients with advanced EC who received hospice care (study group). The intervention time was three months, and the self-rated anxiety scale (SAS) before and after the interventions was compared between the two groups. The Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the General Well-being Scale (GWB), the Patient Dignity Scale (PDI), and patients' physical pain state were recorded.

Results: No significant differences were found in the HAMD, SAS, PSQI, GWB, or PDI scores between the two groups before the interventions (P > 0.05); after the interventions, the HAMD, SAS, PSQI, and PDI scores of the two groups were significantly decreased, and the HAMD, SAS, PSQI, and PDI scores of the study group were lower compared with the control group. The GWB scores of the two groups were significantly increased, and those of the study group were significantly higher compared with the control group; the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). After the interventions, pain grades of III and above decreased in both groups to grade II, and pain sensation in the study group was lower compared with the control group; the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Hospice care can reduce the level of pain related to depression and anxiety in patients with advanced EC and improve their sleep quality, as well as their sense of dignity and subjective well-being.

Keywords: advanced esophageal cancer; anxiety; depression; hospice care; pain; sleep quality.

Grants and funding

Major Science and Technology Projects of Sichuan Provincial Department of Science and Technology in 2020 (No. 2020YFS0515); Key Research Project of Sichuan Provincial Health Commission (No. 20PJ133); Key Project of Sichuan Provincial Department of Education (No. 18SA0300); 2017 Luzhou Municipal People's Government - Southwest Medical University Science and Technology Strategic Cooperation Project (No. 2017LZXNYD-T08); National Cancer Center Climbing Fund Scientific Research Project (No. NCC201822B730).