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Illness Awareness in Hospice: Application of a Semi-Structured Interview

Hospice of Rimini, jandruccioli{at}auslrn.net

Alessandra Montesi, PsyD

Hospice of Savignano-Rubicone, Savignano

Silvia Di Leo, PsyD

SC Regional Palliative Care Network National Cancer Research Institute, Genoa Italy

Donatella Sarti, PhD

Hospice of Rimini

Paola Turci, MD

Hospice of Savignano-Rubicone, Savignano

Cristina Pittureri, MD

Hospice of Savignano-Rubicone, Savignano

Maria Cristina Monterubbianesi, MD

Hospice of Rimini

Tiziana Parma, MD

Hospice of Rimini

William Raffaeli, MD

Hospice of Rimini

This study describes the results of a semi-structured interview to assess the illness awareness of cancer patients in Hospice. The results of this study are based on the interviews made in Rimini and Savignano sul Rubicone Hospices (n = 51). Psychologists evaluated illness awareness of the participants interviewed independently from the code system that is provided for the interview. According to the psychologists, 18 patients (35%) were aware, 11 patients (22%) were unaware, and 22 patients (43%) were aware with defense mechanisms. According to the code system of the interview, the results were the following: 18 patients (35%) were aware, 2 patients (4%) were unaware, and 29 patients (57%) were aware with defense mechanisms. Two participants had to be reassessed because of inconsistency in some factors. In conclusion, the data analysis underlined that the congruence of the 2 assessment methods was found in 33 of the 51 patients examined (65%) and that the degree of concordance was rather low ( = .46; 95% CI = 0.24-0.68).

Key Words: illness awareness • semi-structured interview • hospice • palliative care • cancer • diagnosis • prognosis

This version was published on October 1, 2009

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, Vol. 26, No. 5, 384-391 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1049909109338355


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