Vietnamese family members perception of palliative sedation at the end of life.

PURPOSES: Palliative Sedation (PS) is a supportive treatment that relieves refractory symptoms by reducing the patient's consciousness without hastening death. This study investigated the attitudes and psychosocial factors influencing the decision-making of cancer patients' relatives regarding PS.

METHODS

A descriptive cross-sectional study involved 100 relatives of end-stage cancer patients in the central region of Vietnam.

RESULTS

Sixty percent of relatives supported PS. Agreement increased with refractory vomiting (Adjusted OR 19.66) and patient age (Adjusted OR 1.05), but decreased with prolonged dyspnea (Adjusted OR 0.13). Dissenting families strongly feared that PS would shorten life and limit communication. Most participants (81%) preferred home deaths.

CONCLUSION

Families are open to PS, but significant misconceptions remain. Clinical symptoms and deep-rooted psychosocial concerns profoundly dictate consent.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PSYCHOSOCIAL PROVIDERS: Psychosocial providers must be integrated into palliative teams to address emotional distress, cultural beliefs, and communication gaps regarding end-of-life care.