Feasibility of Dignity Therapy Intervention on Cancer Patients in Charge to an Hospital Palliative Care Unit.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Dignity Therapy Intervention on Palliative Care Program's Cancer Patients Referring to a Medical Oncology Ward.

Aim of the study was to asses feasibility and acceptability of a nurse delivered Dignity Therapy (DT) intervention on advanced cancer patients referring to an Hospital palliative care unit. To achieve this aim a mixed-method approach using before and after evaluation and semi-structured interviews has been used.

Inclusion Criteria:

• advanced cancer patients
• over 3 months life expectancy
• referring to hospital palliative care unit
• performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group - ECOG) between 0 and 2
• awareness of being affected by an incurable cancer
• cognitive ability to read, understand and fill in a questionnaire in Italian
• willing and able to give written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• < 18 years old