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Consumer Perspectives on the Barriers to Timely Palliative Care Access: A Mixed Methods Study
Alannah L Cooper1, Dipna Martin-Robins2, Rosemary Dillon3
1School of Nursing, College of Health and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia.
Journal of Clinical Nursing
|August 5, 2026
Summary
Australian patients and families face communication, knowledge, and accessibility barriers to palliative care. Addressing these issues at individual, professional, and system levels is crucial for improving timely access to essential palliative services.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care Research
- Health Services Research
- Patient Experience
Background:
- Timely access to palliative care is essential for improving patient quality of life.
- Barriers to palliative care access are often studied from a health professional perspective.
- Patient and family insights into palliative care barriers are underreported.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify barriers to timely palliative care access from Australian inpatients' and their families' viewpoints.
- To explore patient and family perceptions of palliative care.
- To inform targeted interventions for improved palliative care accessibility.
Main Methods:
- A co-designed, mixed-methods study utilizing a QUAN ➔ QUAL explanatory design.
- Quantitative phase: Surveys assessed knowledge and experience of palliative care (194 patients, 52 family members).
- Qualitative phase: Semi-structured interviews explored perceptions and identified barriers (11 patients, 9 family members).
Main Results:
- Patients and families reported moderate knowledge of palliative care.
- Key barriers identified were Communication, Knowledge and Perceptions, and Accessibility.
- Barriers were perceived at individual, health professional, and system levels.
Conclusions:
- Patients and families experience multifaceted barriers to accessing palliative care.
- Understanding health consumer perspectives is vital for comprehensive barrier identification.
- Findings provide a foundation for developing interventions to enhance timely palliative care access.
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