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conferenceseries
.com
Volume 7, Issue 3 (Suppl)
J Palliat Care Med, an open access journal
ISSN: 2165-7386
Palliative Care 2017
June 21- 22, 2017
3
rd
International Conference on
June 21- 22, 2017 | Philadelphia, USA
Palliative Care & Hospice Nursing
PATIENT’S ATTITUDES TOWARDS ADVANCE CARE PLANNING: COMPARISON OF HIGH
INCOME ECONOMIES VERSUS LOW INCOME ECONOMIES
Esther Nafula Wekesa
a
a
University Of Nairobi, Kenya
Statement of the Problem:
Palliative care involves understanding individual and cultural preferences of patients. Patient autonomy
is paramount and this involves making decisions concerning treatment, place of care, as well as, end of life care. Evidence suggests
that advance care planning improves communication between patients, families and health care providers, which reduces anxiety and
improves quality of life. Access to healthcare, as well as, palliative care is limited in low income economy countries and there is limited
knowledge on advance care planning. Discussions of prognosis and advance directives are rare leading to inappropriate aggressive
treatment at the end of life. Comparison of studies done in high income and low income societies is my focus as I aim to answer the
research question: How do patients with life limiting illnesses in low income economies perceive advance care directives at the end of
life compared to those in high income economies?
Methodology:
Referenced papers were identified by searches of PUBMED and MEDLINE limited to English language using key
words: Advance care planning, advance directives, end of life care and low income economies. Only papers published between 1st
January 1996 and 31st December 2016 were included. Of the 10 identified papers 3 were selected as the discussed studies on patients’
attitudes towards advance care planning at the end of life phase.
Results:
The 3 selected papers discussed in depth qualitative studies were done in Africa, as well as, in the developed world. In
the South African study it was evident that participants thought advance care planning was relevant in their set up. Health care
preferences however depended on available resources. In the other two studies approximately 80% of patients thought advance care
planning was very relevant and needed to be discussed with their physicians.
Conclusion:
Advance care planning is important to all patients with life limiting illnesses. Many patients are willing to discuss with
their doctors on issues of prognosis and advance directives. In high income economy countries, advance care planning is more
accessible as compared to low income economy countries. In both regions however, these discussions are influenced by culture and
availability of resources.
Biography
Esther Nafula Wekesa is a registered Medical practitioner in Kenya working with M.P Shah Hospital, Nairobi. Her passion for palliative care started in 2011 when
she was a fourth year undergraduate medical student at the University of Nairobi. She attended a one week induction course organized by the Nairobi Hospice
and her interested sparked. She volunteered for three months at the Coast Hospice and was truly amazed by the difference palliative care brought to patients’ and
families lives. In 2014 while undertaking her internship period, she joined the Diploma for Higher Education in Palliative Care coordinated by the Oxford Brookes
University and Nairobi Hospice. She also started volunteering at the Kakamega Hospice and later on at the Nairobi Hospice. Working with palliative care patients
has been truly fulfilling. She always aims to be honest, to communicate effectively and to help patients have quality of life despite their illnesses. She currently
pursues a Master of Science in Palliative Care at the Oxford Brookes University since January 2016. Her goal is to join the small world of palliative care specialists
in her country in order to advocate for integration into the mainstay healthcare. She believes that she can help in creating awareness and availability of the much
needed palliative care in Kenya.
nafulah@gmail.comEsther Nafula Wekesa, J Palliat Care Med 2017, 7:3(Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2165-7386-C1-008