Palliative care is one of medicine’s most important comforts, as it offers valuable specialized medical care, including pain relief, relief from symptoms, physical stress and mental stress for those who need it most: the seriously ill.
But for many people living in America, this care is still hard to come by. A recent study published in The Journal of Palliative Medicine revealed that people living in the Southern states have palliative care programs in only slightly more than 40 percent of their hospitals.
This is too bad. Dr. Sean Morrison, a researcher and senior author in the study commented why:
“Considerable data now demonstrates that when patients receive palliative care in addition to traditional medical care, they have improved quality of life, greater satisfaction with their medical care, are less likely to be re-admitted to the hospital or have to visit an emergency department, and in certain diseases (i.e. cancer) have greater survival,” he told Reuters by email.
In addition to having the lowest level of care, the Southern states have the highest rate of people who are suffering from two or more chronic diseases or conditions at one time. It seems like having some comfort there in a time of need would be highly appreciated. But this doesn’t seem to be happening, on a large scale.
In comparison, how does it look for neighbors in other regions? The study determined that, in New England, a total of 88 percent of hospitals have palliative care programs, as do up to 77 percent of hospitals in the coastal areas of the Pacific and mid-Atlantic states.
Dr. Morrison and his colleagues analyzed data from a variety of sources including the U.S. census and the American Hospital Association, to come to their findings. Researchers also held interviews with hospital administrators and program directors.
One bit of good news that was found through all this work is that, overall, access to palliative care for many is much better now than it was less than a decade ago, across the country.
Having accessible care in all regions would be ideal.
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