A Review on Palliative Care Challenges and Benefits

Abstract

Palliative care is a treatment strategy that aims to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from various serious illnesses. Palliative care is provided to these patients by experts from multidisciplinary fields utilising a holistic approach. It reduces the burden on families and patients by providing services related to pain management, early diagnosis and assessment, and by addressing their psychological, spiritual, ethical, and cultural issues. The aim of this narrative review is to cast light on the cost-effectiveness, evolution, and challenges of palliative care. Databases including Medline/PubMed and Google Scholar were searched to retrieve relevant studies including clinical trials, case studies, and meta-analyses and reviews. Information obtained from these studies includes cost-effectiveness, palliative care evolution, and palliative care-related social issues among patients and family members as well as healthcare professionals.The purpose of this narrative review is to summarise the barriers and recent advancements of palliative care in terminally ill patient care.

Keywords

• hospices
• hospice care
• patient care
• terminal care