Palliative care for patients with a substance use disorder and multiple problems: A study protocol
Publication year
2018Author(s)
Number of pages
9 p.
Source
BMC Palliative Care, 17, (2018), article 97ISSN
Publication type
Article / Letter to editor

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Organization
Anesthesiology
SW OZ BSI KLP
Primary and Community Care
IQ Healthcare
Neurology
Journal title
BMC Palliative Care
Volume
vol. 17
Languages used
English (eng)
Subject
All institutes and research themes of the Radboud University Medical Center; Experimental Psychopathology and Treatment; Radboudumc 18: Healthcare improvement science RIHS: Radboud Institute for Health SciencesAbstract
Background: The specific palliative care needs and problems of patients with a substance use disorder and multiple problems, and those of their proxies, are under recognized Besides, the organization of palliative care, including the division of health care professionals' responsibilities, is often unclear. Perspectives of patients and proxies are hardly known. We describe the outline of a study designed to explore how palliative care for patients with a substance use disorder is organized in the Netherlands and to explore problems and needs, as well as possible improvements from the healthcare professionals', patients' and proxies' perspective. The aim of this protocol paper is to provide insights in ways to conduct research with vulnerable research participants and to offer a detailed description of the study design. The broader study aims to gain insight in and formulate recommendations on how to improve palliative care for patients with a substance use disorder. Methods: A qualitative study with patients, proxies and healthcare professionals. Semi-structured interviews will be held with 10-15 patients who suffer from a severe substance use disorder. They are in a palliative care trajectory and either diagnosed with a chronic or life-threatening disease or, as a result of addictive behavior, a physical deterioration without the prospect of cure. Semi-structured interviews will also be held with 5-10 proxies. Healthcare professionals, volunteers and/or 'experts-by-experience' (n = 24-40) will be participating in semi-structured group interviews. All (group) interviews will be thematically analyzed. Additionally, a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis will be applied to the group interview data with the aim to summarize and concretize the findings. Discussion: Everyone has a right to an optimal end-of-life phase of life and a dignified dying process. This study will provide valuable knowledge about palliative care for patients with a substance use disorder and explicitly bring to light the needs and problems of the patients and their proxies and healthcare professionals in a palliative care phase.
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- Academic publications [204980]
- Electronic publications [103240]
- Faculty of Medical Sciences [81051]
- Faculty of Social Sciences [27347]
- Open Access publications [71779]
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