Perceptions of palliative care among hematologic malignancy specialists: a mixed-methods study.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Patients with hematologic malignancies are less likely to receive specialist palliative care services than patients with solid tumors. Reasons for this difference are poorly understood.

Methods

This was a multisite, mixed-methods study to understand and contrast perceptions of palliative care among hematologic and solid tumor oncologists using surveys assessing referral practices and in-depth semistructured interviews exploring views of palliative care. We compared referral patterns using standard statistical methods. We analyzed qualitative interview data using constant comparative methods to explore reasons for observed differences.

Results

Among 66 interviewees, 23 oncologists cared exclusively for patients with hematologic malignancies; 43 treated only pat

SUBMITTER: LeBlanc TW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4893821 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature