Perceptions of Palliative Care: Voices From Rural South Dakota.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Palliative Care
• Rural Health Disparities

Background:

• Palliative care delivery and accessibility are critical for patient well-being.
• Understanding stakeholder perceptions is key to improving care models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore perceptions of palliative care among health professionals, patients, families, and caregivers.
• To assess the availability, consistency, and quality of palliative care services in South Dakota.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for palliative care delivery in rural settings.

Main Methods:

• Six focus groups were conducted over two months.
• Participants included interprofessional healthcare team members, patients, family members, and caregivers.
• Snowball sampling was utilized for recruitment.

Main Results:

• Six themes emerged: need for a statewide model, poor understanding of palliative care, insufficient resources, rural disparities, need for team connection, and secondary effects.
• Disproportionate access in rural South Dakota was a significant issue.
• Palliative care is poorly understood by both providers and recipients.

Conclusions:

• A holistic statewide palliative care model is needed for South Dakota.
• Addressing unique rural needs and resource constraints is essential for equitable palliative care access.
• Improving conceptual understanding among stakeholders is crucial for effective palliative care implementation.