The primary goal of the present study is to evaluate the effects of dignity therapy on terminal patients and their family/friends. In case of the patients, effects will be measured regarding their perceived dignity (primary outcome measures),…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Other condition
Synonym
Health condition
terminale fase
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
Primary parameters are:
* The effect of dignity therapy on the perceived dignity of terminal patients
Secondary outcome
Secondary parameters are:
* The effect of dignity therapy on suffering, loneliness, quality of life and
meaning of life (patients)
* The effect of dignity therapy on feelings of depression and the bereavement
process (family/freinds)
* Feasibility and desirability to implement dignity therapy into the palliative
program of hospice/hospital?
Background summary
Recent research has noted that in the care for the terminally ill, there is a
shortage of palliative care interventions in which there is attention for the
psycho-social and spiritual needs of terminal patients. In order to meet to
these objections, several kinds of terminal care have been developed. Dignity
therapy is a Canadian care program that aims to strengthen feelings of dignity
and meaning of life among (terminal) patients. The adoption of dignity therapy
may encourage (older) terminal patients to talk about dying, spirituality, and
a good death, and it may lessen psychosocial and existential suffering. Results
may lead to new insights and may add to notions about palliative care and
theories on meaning and purpose-of-life, suffering, and dignity.
Study objective
The primary goal of the present study is to evaluate the effects of dignity
therapy on terminal patients and their family/friends. In case of the patients,
effects will be measured regarding their perceived dignity (primary outcome
measures), suffering, loneliness, quality of life and meaning of life
(secundary outcome measures). In case of family members/friends, effects will
be assessed with respect to feelings of depression and the bereavement process.
Study design
The study will take place in hospices and hospitals. To be able to measure the
effects of the dignity therapy, questionnaires will be administered before and
following the intervention. Patients in the intervention group will have the
dignity therapy; patients in the control group will not participate in the
therapy; they will only receive the standard care. However, control-patients
who wish to join the therapy, are allowed to do so directly after finishing the
follow-up measurement, given that they have a sufficient physical condition and
life expectancy. Apart from patients, their family/friends and care takers will
be included in the study.
Intervention
The intervention consists of a semi-structured interview (Chochinov e.a., 2005)
in which open ended questions are asked about:
(a) the life history of patients,
(b) the most important feelings, thoughts, and experiences, and
(c) the subjects that patients would like to discuss with their family and/or
friends.
The interviews will be summarized in writing; the summary has to be seen and
approved by the patient, and may be used as an aid in conversations with others
about their terminal illness, life and death.
Study burden and risks
The intervention and questions may lead to new questions and elicit strong
emotions among the patients and their family/friends. These reactions can be
seen as enrichment, but may also be experienced as aggravating. Therefore,
there will be special attention for:
* the recruitment and informed consent of patients and their family/friends
* the physical and mental capacity and needs of the patients will be monitored
throughout the interviews
* interviews can be divided into smaller parts
* monitoring and attention for possible care needs following the interviews, in
close consultation with the coordinator
* participation to study can be interrupted or ended at any time
Bos en Vaartstraat 12
2012 LH Haarlem
NL
Bos en Vaartstraat 12
2012 LH Haarlem
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
o 18 years of age and older
o able to give informed consent
o only patients who realise that they will be dying soon (e.g., patients in hospices; patients who leave the hospital to die)
o life expectancy of min. 3-4 weeks and max. 6 months (patients)
o informed consent
Exclusion criteria
o life expectancy shorter than 3-4 weeks (patients)
o who (will) are treated with palliative chemotherapy
o who participate in a fase I-trial
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL30034.029.09 |