Evaluation Of Cancer And Non-Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care Service İn Terms Of Hospitalization Times And Overall Survival During Hospitalization: A Single-Center Experience

Abstract

Objective: In the last 20 years, palliative care has gained a place within the health system worldwide. Our aim is to review the demographic characteristics of patients hospitalized in palliative care centers, to investigate the factors influencing hospitalization times of patients with cancer and non-cancer diagnoses and the median in-hospital survival. Results: A total of 428 patients, comprising 237 (55.4%) males and 191 (44.6%) females were included in the study. Median patient age was 75 (18-105) years. In terms of hospitalization times, there were no significant differences between genders (p=0.79) and diagnoses (malignant/non-malignant); however, there was a statistically significant difference between survival statuses (died/discharged) and patients who died had longer hospitalization times (16 days versus 12 days) (p=0.008). When age, gender, hospitalization type and diagnosis were compared with regard to median in-hospital survival in multivariate analysis, the diagnosis (non-malignant/malignant) was an independent factor indicating median in-hospital survival (HR:2.08, 95% CI:(1.47-2.94), p<0.001). Conclusion: Among the patients receiving inpatient treatment in the palliative care center, those who died had a longer hospitalization time compared with those who were discharged. Also, patients with a malignant diagnosis had a shorter overall survival during hospitalization compared with those with non-malignant disease.

Keywords

• Palliative care
• cancer
• hospitalization time
• survival

References

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