Determining factors and implications of aggressiveness of care towards the end of life of cancer patients from a caregiver's perspective

• Applicant: Dr. Markus Haun
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine
• Term: from 2014 to 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 271460758

Introduction: Prevalence of aggressiveness of care in the last weeks towards the end of life of cancer patients is constantly increasing without significant prolongation of survival time or higher quality of life.Objectives: As aggressiveness of care towards the end of life in general but especially from caregiver's perspective has been scarcely investigated in Germany, this descriptive studie identifies 1) first data on the prevalence from caregiver's perspective, and 2) measures caregivers' regret after the death of the patient. Moreover, typical for health services research the process quality of therapy towards the end of life, surrounding conditions of daily medical routine togehter with care-related decision-making processes will be described from a caregiver's perspective.Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional desgin with mixed methods approach which comprises a survey of N=230 caregivers and interviews with a group of max. N=20 caregivers and with a group of max. N=20 caregivers whose patients are still undergoing therapy.Perspecive: This study will provide first results on care practice towards the end of life of cancer patients with particular consideration of the caregiver's perspecitve. In case of evidence for a high prevalence of aggressiveness care the results will be reviewed with a representative epidemiological sample.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants