[India] End of life care practices at a tertiary cancer centre in India: An observational study

[India] End of life care practices at a tertiary cancer centre in India: An observational study
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine; by Bhanu P. Maurya, MD; Raghav Gupta, DM; Puneet Rathore, MD; Seema Mishra, MD; Sachidanand J. Bharati, DM; Vinod Kumar, MD; Nishkarsh Gupta, MD; Rakesh Garg, MD; Sushma Bhatnagar, MD; 8/24
[This study was done] to assess the End of life care (EOLC) practices and the magnitude of futile care in a tertiary cancer center [and] to find out the barriers in provision of good EOLC in cancer patients. With proper communication and a good palliative care support, futile treatment can be avoided. 77 (60%) patients preferred home as their place for EOLC while 41(32%) preferred hospital, 7 (5%) preferred hospice while 4 (3%) opted ICU for their EOLC. The most common barrier associated was caregiver related ... followed by physician related ... and patients related ... because of hope of being cured in hospital, social stigma, fear of worsening of symptoms at home, denial.