Palliation: A Concept Analysis

Abstract

Palliation is a term that is used in the literature to identify very different concepts. It is often used interchangeably with palliative care, symptom management, and hospice. While these concepts are indeed related, the distinctions are valuable to identify to impact patient care. A concept analysis of palliation was undertaken via Wilson’s method to define, identify core attributes and suggest areas for further research related to palliation. The analysis resulted in the following definition of palliation: patient goal directed symptom relief from a non-curative intervention, administered via human presence. Clarification of the definition and attributes will facilitate continued efforts to design valid measures of palliation as a patient-centered outcome.