ArticleBMC palliative care2019
Palliative care for people with substance use disorder and multiple problems: a qualitative study on experiences of patients and proxies.
Article in BMC palliative care, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Exploring strategies and approaches to improve end-of-life care services for people experiencing homelessness: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.BMC palliative care · 2026Pooled it
- Psychiatric Comorbidities and Outcomes in Palliative and End-of-Life Care: A Systematic Review.Journal of pain and symptom management · 2023Pooled it
- Trial
- "Hope is strong": a qualitative inquiry into serious illness conversations for patients living with structural vulnerabilities and substance use disorders.BMC palliative care · 2025Article
- Palliative care for people with substance use disorders: a qualitative study of the experiences of rural primary care providers.BMC palliative care · 2025Article
- Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding keratopathy among diabetic patients.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Palliative Care Psychiatry: Building Synergy Across the Spectrum.Current psychiatry reports · 2024Review
- Mental Health Integration and Delivery in the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Setting: A National Survey of Clinicians.Journal of pain and symptom management · 2024Article
- Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Training in Mental Health: A Survey of Program Directors.Journal of pain and symptom management · 2023Article
- What is known about the care and support provided for an ageing population with lived experience of chronic viral hepatitis as they near end-of-life: A scoping review.Health & social care in the community · 2022Article
- Palliative care for patients with substance use disorder and multiple problems: a qualitative study on experiences of healthcare professionals, volunteers and experts-by-experience.BMC palliative care · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundSystematic research into palliative care (PC) for people with substance use disorder (SUD) and multiple problems is scarce. The existing literature shows problems in the organizational structure of this care, e.g., lack of clear care pathways. Furthermore, negative attitudes of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and stigmatization surrounding SUD, and patients' care-avoidance and non-disclosure of substance use are hindering factors in providing timely and person-centered PC. Furthermore, the experiences and needs of patients and proxies themselves are unknown. Therefore, this study aims to explore which problems and needs patients with SUD and multiple problems, and their proxies, experience in a PC phase.
methodsData-collection of this qualitative study consisted of semi-structured interviews with patients with SUD and multiple problems in a PC phase, and their proxies, about their experiences in PC and their well-being. Interviews were inductively analyzed.
resultsNine patients and three proxies were included. Six patients suffered from COPD, one patient from cirrhosis of the liver and two patients from both. Seven patients stayed in a nursing home and two had a room in either a social care service (hostel) or an assisted living home where medical care was provided. Five themes were identified: 1) healthcare delivery (including HCPs behaviour and values); 2) end-of-life (EOL) preferences (mostly concerning only the individual patient and the 'here-and-the-now'); 3) multidimensional problems; 4) coping (active and passive) and; 5) closed communication. Proxies' experiences with healthcare differed. Emotionally, they were all burdened by their histories with the patients.
conclusionsThis study shows that talking about and anticipating on PC with this patient-group appears hard due to patients' closed and avoiding communication. Furthermore, some of patients' EOL-preferences and needs, and coping-strategies, seem to differ from the more generally-accepted ideas and practices. Therefore, educating HCPs in communicating with this patient-group, is needed.
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