HOPE AND ACCEPTANCE AT THE END OF LIFE - IMPACT OF SPIRITUALITY ON PALLIATIVE CARE PATIENTS

HOPE AND ACCEPTANCE AT THE END OF LIFE - IMPACT OF SPIRITUALITY ON PALLIATIVE CARE PATIENTS

This study aims to evaluate the hope and acceptance among patients visited by the Equipa Comunitária de Suporte em Cuidados Paliativos do Baixo Mondego. This study is a prospective longitudinal research study. The sample consisted of two groups: the Intervention Group, which included patients from the network of the Equipa Comunitária de Suporte em Cuidados Paliativos do Baixo Mondego (ECSCP-BM), and the Control Group, with selected patients from Unidade de Saúde Familiar Nautilus e Unidade de Saúde Familiar Coimbra Centro, with serious illness, comorbidities, and a poor prognosis. The patients chosen from ECSCP-BM were made up only of new patients referred to the team without any prior home consultations. The first questionnaire application took place during the first visit, and the second one was administered fourteen days later. The Primary Health Care patients were selected by invitation, and the questionnaire was administered. It included sociodemographic data, clinical data, the Herth Hope Index - PT and open questions.

Inclusion Criteria:

• new referrals made by the family doctor to the community palliative care support team (which integrated the patient into the palliative care team network for the first time) - for the intervention group
• patients registered at the Nautilus Family Health Unit or Coimbra Centro Family Health Unit with serious pathology, comorbidities and reserved prognosis - for the control group

Exclusion Criteria:

• age under 18
• pregnancy
• altered state of consciousness or dementia
• low level of education