Respite Model of Palliative Care for Advanced Cancer in India: Development and Evaluation of Effectiveness

Palliative care need is highest among low and middle-income countries and a significant gap exists between palliative care need and provision in India. Patients with life limiting illnesses such as cancer are discharged home prematurely with poorly controlled physical symptoms, unresolved psychological and social issues, and unprepared caregiver and with no plans for continuity of care. Respite model of palliative care is a step down from acute setting, where patients are admitted briefly to a respite home for symptom control, and management of psychosocial issues, caregiver empowerment, liaison and networking with local family physician and local palliative care network and planned discharge home. The effectiveness of the project will be measured using four parameters (a) improvement in symptoms using Edmonton symptom assessment scale (ESAS) (b) quality of life using EORTC QLQ-PAL15C (c) family satisfaction using selected items of FAMCARE questionnaire and d. care giver empowerment using a semi structured questionnaire. This project is expected to benefit around 1500 adult palliative care patients and 150 paediatric palliative care patients. The research article highlights needs assessment, concept, project development, research design and proposed impact of the project.