Feasibility of patient reported outcome measures in psychosocial palliative care: Observational cohort study of hospice day care and social support groups

Bradley, Natasha; Dowrick, Christopher; Lloyd-Williams, Mari

Abstract

Palliative care patients can be at risk of social isolation or loneliness. Interventions that can provide effective social support, and particularly emotional support, could facilitate healthy coping that bolsters quality of life and reduces depression in palliative care patients. This is an observational cohort study which recruited thirty patients (n = 30) from the day services of four independent hospices in England. Participants completed patient reported outcome measures in perceived social support, loneliness, and depression, at up to three time points. Age range was 56–91 years, males and females were equally represented, and the sample was 93% white British. In participants that provided two or more timepoints, perceived social support increased, and loneliness and depression decreased. Largest changes with the least variation between participants was in emotional support (p = 0.165) and loneliness (p = 0.104). These results suggest that the psychosocial patient reported outcome measures used (MOS-SS, UCLA, BEDS) could be sensitive to change aligned with the goals of this intervention in palliative care. Participants in this study were observed to derive psychosocial benefit from attending the hospice day service.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 13, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Oct 14, 2022
• Publication Date: Oct 14, 2022
• Deposit Date: Oct 20, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 20, 2022
• Journal: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Print ISSN: 1661-7827
• Electronic ISSN: 1660-4601
• Publisher: MDPI
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 20
• Article Number: 13258
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013258
• Keywords: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis; Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health; palliative care; hospice day care; social support; patient reported outcome measures
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10097764
• Publisher URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/20/13258