Palliative care researchers use qualitative data to understand the full picture of patients' lives

Palliative care researchers use qualitative data to understand the full picture of patients' lives 
St. Jude Research; by Heather Johnson; 8/26/25 
The central goal of palliative care is to provide comfort, relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for those dealing with serious illnesses. That care is interdisciplinary. It must be. Quality of life relates to physical, social, emotional, spiritual and psychological needs. Addressing those needs requires teamwork from physicians and clinicians in a range of disciplines. ... Palliative care studies often use mixed methods approaches to capture the full picture of what can be subjective outcomes. For example, scales and surveys may provide a foundation for assessing symptom relief, while qualitative research, such as patient interviews and focus groups, helps researchers understand the meaning behind the numbers.  
Editor's Note: Yes. Measures for hospice and palliative success and growth are more than dollar amounts and the number of locations. Pairing qualitative research with quantitative data, researchers and leaders must seek to "understand the meaning behind the numbers." Ongoing, be sure to explore our newsletter's Saturday issues for relevant, timely evidence-based research articles--quantitive and qualitive data--to improve the care of persons who needing hospice and palliative care. Additionally, if you or your hospice is interested in learning more about research opportunities, please complete this form.