Patient Reported Unmet Needs for Function and Supportive Occupational- and Physiotherapy Rehabilitation Interventions

Overview

Purpose: To determine unmet functional needs in patients referred to the Palliative Care Unit at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital will be asked to fill out self reported questionnaires regarding problem intensity, problem burden and felt needs, physical functioning, emotional functioning, fatigue, sleep, distress. Furthermore patients physical function will be evaluated.

Physical functioning is found to be an important predictor for survival and physical ability 'to do what one wants' affects quality of life in cancer patients in palliative care and their spouses. Despite this, physical functioning is reported as a neglected dimension in palliative care quality of life outcome measures, and advanced cancer patients report that they do not receive the help they need. The vast majority of patients with advanced cancer described unmet palliative care needs, and with the most frequently reported problems being; fatigue (73%), limitations doing physical activities (65%), limitations in work and daily activities (58%), worry (58%), difficulties with sexuality (54%), pain (52%) and problems with concentration (43%). Furthermore, limitations in physical functioning and physical activity is a leading cause of distress and psychological problems a rehabilitative approach in palliative care integrated in the interdisciplinary interventions to the patients must be maintained throughout the entire illness trajectory from diagnosis through treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care to address such problems. However, prevalence of patient unmet needs and reported physical functioning and performance is reported to differentiate largely between palliative units. In order to address the functional needs of patients receiving specialist palliative care studies of their specific needs are required. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the patient reported unmet needs for function and supportive occupational- and physiotherapy rehabilitation interventions in the palliative unit at Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet. Furthermore, we aim to investigate if observations, additional disease-specific patient reported outcomes and assessment of physical function and performance can support the unmet needs.