Beyond Cancer: Differences in Psychosocial Burden Between Patients with Chronic Non-Cancer Diagnoses Assessed Using...

Area of Science:

• Palliative Care
• Psychosocial Oncology
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• The Integrated Palliative Outcome Scale (IPOS) is designed for advanced, life-limiting conditions.
• Palliative care assessment requires understanding both patient and staff perspectives.
• Previous research has not fully explored IPOS in diverse inpatient hospice populations in Poland.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate the Polish version of the IPOS in an inpatient hospice.
• To compare patient- and staff-reported outcomes in cancer and non-cancer populations.
• To assess changes in patient needs over the first week of hospice admission.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 112 patients (86 cancer, 26 non-cancer) in a Polish hospice.
• Utilized the Polish IPOS tool for assessments at admission (A1) and after 7 days (A2).
• Compared patient-reported outcomes with healthcare staff assessments.

Main Results:

• Staff-reported IPOS scores were lower than patient-reported scores at A1, particularly in the psychosocial domain.
• No significant changes in IPOS scores were observed between A1 and A2.
• Non-cancer patients reported higher psychosocial distress, anxiety, and greater needs for peace and information.

Conclusions:

• Palliative care assessment must acknowledge the multidimensional nature of suffering.
• Psychosocial needs are often underestimated by staff, especially in non-cancer patients.
• Enhanced assessment tools and strategies are needed to address the full spectrum of patient needs in palliative care.