Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40485813›Full record

ArticlePalliative care and social practice2025

The influence of informal caregivers on the place of death: A study within a home palliative care team.

Cristina Pereira, Hugo Ribeiro, Júlia Magalhães, João Rocha-Neves, Marília Dourado, José Paulo Andrade

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Palliative care and social practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Cristina PereiraCommunity Palliative Care Support Team Gaia, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
Hugo RibeiroCommunity Palliative Care Support Team Gaia, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6623-7420
Júlia MagalhãesCommunity Palliative Care Support Team Gaia, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal.
João Rocha-NevesFaculty of Medicine of University of Porto, Portugal.
Marília DouradoFaculty of Medicine of University of Coimbra, Portugal.
José Paulo AndradeFaculty of Medicine of University of Porto, Portugal.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The increase in the prevalence of chronic, complex, or life-limiting diseases is intrinsically associated with population aging. Therefore, it is necessary to reflect on health and social care, and community palliative care can play a fundamental role in responding to this phenomenon. Objective: This research aimed to understand the factors that affect the care place at the end of life and death, identifying the informal caregivers' profile, the challenges of the all-care process, and the impact of a Community Palliative Care Team (CPCT). Design: An observational retrospective cohort study was carried out. Methods: The population of this study was caregivers of patients monitored by a Community Palliative Care Support Team between 2020 and 2022. In the sample, 78 caregivers were included according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, of whom 44 caregivers answered, representing a 55.70% response rate. Results: Although it is not possible to generalize as we do not have statistically significant correlations, this study concludes that the informal caregivers included in the sample have a profile similar to the national profile in Portugal. They reported high emotional exhaustion, but also physical and financial exhaustion, as the primary care challenges. In addition, the results show that managing the progression of the disease was also highlighted as a challenge by 63.6% of caregivers. The impact of the team monitoring was also evaluated as positive and having an effect in achieving the patient's preference regarding the place of death. Conclusion: CPCT and informal caregivers are two factors intrinsically linked and influencing the place of death at home when there is congruence between the patients and their caregivers' choices. Social resources and investment in a support network outside the hospital are essential to fulfilling the wishes of patients and families, allowing dignity and quality of life for both. From a medical point of view, these patients are so well or better treated in the community than in the hospital wards.

Indexed as

caregiver perspectivespalliative careplace of deathquality of care

Identifiers

PMID40485813
PMCPMC12144353

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.