Abstracts

Assessment of Physical Aspects of Palliative Care in Routine Management of Patients Seeking Treatment of Non-Communicable Diseases at Hamisi PEN Plus Clinic

Not scheduled

20m

Poster Integrated Care Models

Description

1. Introduction
   Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic respiratory conditions—often result in progressive physical decline and high symptom burden. Integrating palliative care into routine NCD management can significantly improve patients’ quality of life by addressing symptoms like pain, fatigue, breathlessness, and digestive issues. However, assessment of these physical aspects remains underutilized in many clinical settings.
2. Objective
   To evaluate how key physical symptoms—including chronic pain, fatigue, appetite changes, breathlessness, and bowel function—are assessed and managed as part of routine care for NCD patients at Hamisi PEN Plus Clinic.
3. Methods
4. Study Design: Mixed-methods (qualitative and quantitative).
5. Duration: January to December 2024.
6. Participants: 400 patient files reviewed; healthcare providers interviewed.
7. Focus:
   • Frequency and method of symptom assessment.
   • Use of standardized tools/checklists.
   • Symptoms randomly assessed: chronic pain, fatigue, breathlessness, appetite, and bowel function.
8. Findings
9. Chronic Pain: 95% experienced chronic pain; only 25% reported relief.
10. Breathlessness: 50% of patients had breathing difficulties; only 25% reported improvement.
11. Fatigue: 85% reported unresolved fatigue; 33% noted improvement.
12. Appetite/GI Function: 89% experienced problems; only 25% saw improvement.

Key Issues Identified:
- Inconsistent assessment of physical symptoms (except pain).
- Lack of standardized assessment protocols.
- Staffing and knowledge gaps among providers.
5. Conclusion and Recommendations
The study reveals inadequate assessment and management of physical symptoms in NCD patients, leading to unmanaged symptom burden.

Recommendations:
- Integrate physical symptom assessment into routine care using standardized tools.
- Develop and adopt clinical protocols for comprehensive palliative symptom evaluation.
- Train and support healthcare workers to build capacity in palliative care delivery.

Referencs
1) https://www.who.int/
2) MoH-Protocols for management of Non-Communicable Diseases.