A research group led by Atsushi Hamano, a lecturer at the University of Tsukuba's School of Medicine, conducted a survey of non-cancer elderly people receiving home-visit medical care at home. Difficulty in moving the body, malaise, and loss of appetite were the main distressing symptoms, and it was revealed that the symptoms were not sufficiently alleviated even after receiving home-visit medical treatment.
Approximately 70% of deaths in Japan are non-cancer patients. Although foreign studies have shown that hospitalized elderly people without cancer have more distressing symptoms than cancer patients, the specific symptoms of distress among non-cancer elderly living at home were unclear. The research group conducted a one-year survey of distress symptoms in non-cancer elderly patients receiving home-visit medical care, and examined the frequency and changes in symptoms.
A survey was conducted of non-cancer patients aged 32 and older who received home-visit treatment from January to December 2020 at 1 domestic medical institutions that provide home medical care. Of the 12 eligible patients, 65 completed the 785-month study. The subjects had received home-visit medical treatment for diseases and symptoms such as dementia, heart failure, and stroke.
As a result of the survey, many people had difficulty moving their bodies or felt tired at the start of home visits, and this trend remained unchanged over the past year. Although there are many people who suffer from loss of appetite, the percentage has been decreasing after three months since the start of home visits. Pain and breathing difficulties, which are common in cancer patients, were less common. Twelve months after the start of the home visits, many patients were suffering from difficulty in moving their bodies and feeling sluggish, as well as constipation.
As a result, the research group points out that non-cancer elderly people receiving home-visit medical care also need treatment, care, and support to alleviate painful symptoms. However, this study did not take into account the impact of medical care and treatment provided by home visits on symptoms, and it cannot be concluded that receiving home visits does not alleviate painful symptoms. In the future, the company plans to consider research and analysis methods that take into account the background factors and living conditions of each patient.
Paper information:[Journal of Primary Care & Community Health] Unresolved Palliative Care Needs of Elderly Non-Cancer Patients at Home: A Multicenter Prospective Study
