None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The study is evaluating the feasibility and utility of the Quality of Life at the End of Life (QUAL-E) instrument in helping staff care for and understand the concerns of people with advanced cancer. Who is it for? You may be eligible to join this study if you are aged over 18 years, have a diagnosis of advanced cancer and receiving inpatient palliative care or outpatient cancer care at the study hospital. Trial details All participants in this study will complete an interview with the QUAL-E used as an interview tool. The QUAL-E instrument explores four domains: symptom impact, relationship with healthcare providers, life completion and preparation for end of life, which have been found to influence patients’ quality of life. This study will use mixed methods to conduct a qualitative content analysis of patients’ responses to the QUAL-E when administered by a research nurse, and a quantitative assessment of feasibility and the possible association between QUAL-E and Distress Thermometer scores.
Interventions
The Quality of Life at the End of Life (QUAL-E) instrument is a survey to measure quality of life at end of life from the patient's perspective. Originally a 25-item self-report tool, the instrument investigates 4 domains: a) life completion; b) relationship with health providers, c) preparation for end of life; and d) symptom impact. The QUAL-E was validated in 2011 as a reduced 17-item version. Piloting the tool with Australian hospital palliative care patients in 2009 revealed its potential u
The Quality of Life at the End of Life (QUAL-E) instrument is a survey to measure quality of life at end of life from the patient's perspective. Originally a 25-item self-report tool, the instrument investigates 4 domains: a) life completion; b) relationship with health providers, c) preparation for end of life; and d) symptom impact. The QUAL-E was validated in 2011 as a reduced 17-item version. Piloting the tool with Australian hospital palliative care patients in 2009 revealed its potential utility as aid from clinical care when administered as an interview by research assistant. This current trial will further pilot the QUAL-E to evaluate its feasibility and clinical utility when administered as an interview. The QUAL-E interviews will be conducted by a research assistant with nursing and research experience. Each interview will be conducted face-to-face and audio-recorded. The research assistant will document patient participants' responses to each item on a hard copy instrument. Audio-recording of the QUAL-E interview will also be audio-recorded to faciltate the capture, transcription and content analysis of patients' qualitative responses. Each patient will be interviewed once; there will be no follow-up. It is envisaged that each interview will last approximately 30 minutes.
Sponsors
Edith Cowan University
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Diagnosis of advanced cancer Receiving inpatient palliative care or outpatient cancer care Physically and emotionally able to participate Able to speak and read English
Exclusion criteria
Outpatients not attending study clinic Inpatients not receiving care from the hospital Palliative Care Service
Outcome results
None listed