Psychiatry and terminal illness.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To provide an overview of the palliative care literature salient to the psychiatric aspect of end-of-life care.

METHOD:

A literature review was conducted, targeting primarily empirical studies that addressed the following topics: 1) psychological issues pertaining to life-threatening conditions; 2) family issues in the context of palliative care; 3) psychological issues and challenges faced by end-of-life health care providers; and 4) psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety, and organic mental disorders, in people with terminal illness.

RESULTS:

There is a small but emerging literature that can guide psychiatrists in their role of providing care to dying patients.

CONCLUSIONS:

While psychiatry has made tremendous inroads toward providing care to patients throughout the life cycle, its presence is only just beginning to be felt in end-of-life care. Within the domain of palliative care, psychiatry has an expanded and important role to play.

• Authors: H M Chochinov
• Journal: Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie (Can J Psychiatry) Vol. 45 Issue 2 Pg. 143-50 (Mar 2000) ISSN: 0706-7437 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10742873 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)

Topics

• Death
• Humans
• Neoplasms (psychology)
• Palliative Care
• Terminal Care