Palliative day care – a study of well-being and health-related quality of life

Abstract

Aim The aim of the study was to study the outcomes of palliative day care, in terms of health-related quality of life and the emotional well-being of cancer patients participating in a palliative day care programme for a period of five weeks, compared with a group of palliative cancer patients not participating in day-care. Methods The day care sample comprised of patients in a palliative day care programme delivered in two different day care facilities. Participants in the comparison group were recruited from a palliative home care service facility. All patients had a cancer diagnosis. The participants were invited to respond to two questionnaires once a week for a period of five weeks; the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-30) and the Mood Adjective List (MACL). Results The participants in the day care group and the comparison group reported similar levels of perceived functioning and symptoms, as measured by the EORTC QLQ-30, with no significant differences between the groups. However, the day care group reported higher levels of emotional well-being as measured by the MACL than the comparison group reported, although these differences were not statistically significant.