Table 4.
Essential findings of studies of home care programmes for patients with incurable cancer
| Study | Quality of life (QOL)
|
Evaluation period before death (months) | Readmission (%) in intervention group/control group‡ | Survival (intervention group/control group) (days) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests used in evaluation | Interval (months)* | Result† | ||||
| Zimmer et al (1985)18 | SIP, PGCMS, SAT | 6 | No significant differences | 6 | 6.8/11.0 | NA |
| National hospice (1986)19 20 | OQOL, SQOL, P&S, SAT | 3 | P&S↓ | 6 | 15.0/19.1¶ | NA |
| Wallston et al (1988)21 | QOD | 3 days before death§ | QOD↑ | NA | NA | NA |
| McCorkle et al (1989)14 | SDS, ESDS, MMPQ, ICC, POMS, GHRI | 6 | SDS↑, ESDS↑; GHRI↓ | 4.5 | 8.4/7.5** | NA |
| Cummings et al (1990)15 | BSCI, SPMSQ, PGCMS, SAT | 6 | Satisfaction after 1 month↑ | 6 | 10.3/12.5 | 124.6/128.2 |
| Hughes et al (1992)22 | BSCI, SPMSQ, SAT | 6 | Satisfaction after 1 month↑ | 6 | 14.8/19.1¶ | 76.2/83.1 |
| Addington-Hall et al (1992)24 | SYMPT, ADL, SAT, PD, SQOLI | Not stated | Vomiting, itchy skin↓ | NA | NA | 385/340 |
| McCorkle et al (1994)23 | SDS, ESDS, HPQ, MHI | 6 | MHI after 3 months↑ | NA | NA | NA |
SIP=sickness impact profile; PGCMS=Philadelphia Geriatric Centre morale scale questionnaire; SAT=test for satisfaction; OQOL=overall quality of life scales; SQOL=social quality of life scales; P&S=pain and symptoms scales; QOD=quality of death scale; SDS=symptom distress scale; ESDS=enforced social dependency scale; MMPQ=McGill-Melzack pain questionnaire; ICC=inventory of current concerns; POMS=profile of mood status; GHRI=general health rating index; BSCI=Barthel’s self care index; SPMSQ=short portable mental status questionnaire; SYMPT=questionnaire about symptoms; ADL=activities of daily living; PD=psychological distress scale, SQOLI=Spitzer quality of life index; HPQ=health perception questionnaire; MHI=mental health index.
NA=not analysed.
↓Worsened in the intervention group.
↑Improved in the intervention group.
Time period after which the dependent variables were tested.
Only the dependent variables that were significantly influenced by the intervention are presented.
Percentage of days that patients spent in hospital until death.
As judged by the surviving spouse.
Significant difference.
Days spent in hospital for diagnosis or death excluded.