• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.67-76
• /
• 2019

For hospice palliative care that provides comprehensive and general care, it is necessary to use assessment tools to objectively list issues and detail care plans. The initial assessment is a process of establishing an overall direction of care by identifying the patient's symptoms, social and spiritual issues and palliative care needs on the admission day or within one day of admission. This process is also used to identify the patients' and families' awareness of the illness, prognosis, treatment options and if the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) has been drafted. Consisting of 13 simple questions regarding the physical, mental, social, and spiritual domains, the Needs at the End-of-Life Screening Tool (NEST) is recommended as an initial assessment tool. Using specific assessment tools, a care plan is established for the issues identified in the initial assessment within three days of admission. A multidisciplinary assessment tool can be helpful in the physical domain. The psychosocial domain evaluates psychological distress, anxiety and depression. The social domain examines an ability to make decisions, understanding of the socioeconomic circumstance, family relationship, and death preparedness. A spiritual evaluation is also important, for which the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual WellBeing Scale (FACIT-Sp) or the Spiritual Health Inventory (SHI) can be used. The use of an assessment tool could not only contribute to pain mitigation a better quality of life for patients, but also provide systematic training for a multidisciplinary team; And the process itself could be a stepping stone for the better care provision.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.163-178
• /
• 2024

Purpose : This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrative medical service model applied to breast cancer patients and their caregivers, exploring its feasibility and challenges within the context of South Korean healthcare system. Methods : A case study approach was chosen to assess the integrative medical service model's efficacy, involving one breast cancer patient and her primary caregiver from W University Hospital. The patient had completed reconstructive surgery and chemotherapy and was undergoing radiotherapy. The model included standard treatments alongside psychological counseling, aromatherapy, axillary rehabilitation exercise, make-up program, art therapy, laughter therapy, horticultural therapy, and yoga programs, and meditation programs delivered over eight weeks. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through surveys, psychological tests, and feedback assessments. Results : The integrative medical service model demonstrated notable improvements in the quality of life for both breast cancer patients and their caregivers. Participants reported enhanced emotional well-being, reduced stress levels, and improved coping mechanisms throughout the treatment journey. Qualitative feedback highlighted the positive impact of holistic interventions in alleviating psychological distress and fostering resilience. Quantitative data corroborated these findings, showing statistically significant improvements in various psychosocial parameters assessed. Conclusions : Our findings underscore the benefits of integrative medical service model with standard medical treatments in the care of breast cancer patients and their caregivers. The holistic approach not only addresses physical symptoms but also enhances overall well-being and quality of life. However, the implementation of such models faces challenges within the South Korean healthcare system, including fragmented service networks and financial constraints. Addressing these structural barriers is crucial for the widespread adoption and sustainability of integrative care models in oncology practice. Future research should focus on larger-scale studies to further validate these findings and inform policy decisions aimed at optimizing cancer care delivery.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.19-30
• /
• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to suggest predictors of participation restriction in community-dwelling Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) based on environmental, functional, injury-related, psychosocial, and sociodemographic factors. Methods: The participants were 82 community-dwelling SCI adults over the age of 18. They were all included in the American Spinal Injury Association's (ASIA) Levels A, B, and C. This study surveyed participants' participation using the CHART-K-SF, environmental factors using the CHIEF-25 Korean version, and functional factors using the SCIM III. Further, pain and distress were surveyed using Zung's Self-rating Pain and the PAD, self-esteem was assessed using the RSES, and self-efficacy using the GSS. Finally, information concerning injury levels, post-injury period, causes of injury-related factors, and sociodemographic factors such as gender, age, marriage, education level, and residence information were collected. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Version 21.0 Results: Participants' risk factors were environmental and functional. The Nagelkerke's $R^2$ was.737. The OddsRatio(OR) of environmental factors(referent,0-1) was 40.346. Moreover, the OR of the $1^{st}$ quartile functional factor(referent,4thquartile) was 236. 621, and that of the$2^{nd}$ quartile was 21.174. In addition, the occupational predictors included the "policies" subscales in the CHART-K-SF, "physical/structural" in the CHIEF-25, and "mobility" in the SCIM III. Further, the predictors of "physical independence" were "services/assistance" in CHIEF-25, and "respiration and sphincter management' on the SCIM III. Additionally, "mobility" was predicted by "physical/structural" on the CHIEF-25 and "mobility" on the SCIM III. Conclusions: This study multidimensionally confirmed predictors of participation restriction. Through these facts, we investigated occupational therapists' roles in community setting. Therefore, this study's results will provide useful information for occupational therapy services, for which the goal is SCI participation improvement within the community.