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Characteristics of patients with cancer in European long-term care facilities
PURPOSE: Up to 26% of residents in nursing homes (NHs) are affected by cancer. Their care represents a challenge, because NHs are not usually considered a setting focused on oncologic management and care. The aim of this paper is to describe socio-demographic and clinical features of patients with c...
Autores principales: | , , , , , |
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Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
Springer International Publishing
2021
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Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8894167/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34590240 http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40520-021-01972-2 |
Sumario: | PURPOSE: Up to 26% of residents in nursing homes (NHs) are affected by cancer. Their care represents a challenge, because NHs are not usually considered a setting focused on oncologic management and care. The aim of this paper is to describe socio-demographic and clinical features of patients with cancer residing in European NHs. METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on data from the Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care (SHELTER) study. Participants were assessed through the interRAI-LTCF, which includes cancer assessment. RESULTS: Among 4140 participants (mean age 83.4 years; female 73%), 442 (10.7%) had cancer. Patients with cancer had a higher prevalence of do-not-resuscitate directives compared to those without cancer (21.1% vs 16.5%, p = 0.019). Variables directly associated with cancer were male sex (adj OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.36–2.05), pain (adj OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.16–1.77), fatigue (adj OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.01–1.55), polypharmacy (adj OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.21–2.08) and falls (adj OR. 1.30, 95% CI 1.01–1.67). Dementia was inversely associated with cancer (adj OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.94). Symptomatic drugs such as opioids (23.5% vs 12.2, p < .001), NSAIDS (7.2% vs 3.9%, p = 0.001), antidepressants (39.1% vs 33.8%, p = 0.026) and benzodiazepines (40.3% vs 34.3, p = 0.012) were all prescribed more in participants with cancer compared to those without cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer patients are prevalent in European NHs and they show peculiar characteristics. Studies are needed to evaluate the impact of a supportive care approach on the management of NHs residents with cancer throughout all its phases, until the end-of-life care |
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