Extending computer technology to hospice research: interactive pentablet measurement of symptoms by hospice cancer patients in their homes.

Full Abstract

We aimed to determine the acceptability and feasibility of a pentablet-based software program, PAINReportIt-Plus, as a means for patients with cancer in home hospice to report their symptoms and differences in acceptability by demographic variables. Of the 131 participants (mean age = 59 +/- 13, 58% women, 48.1% African American), 44% had never used a computer, but all participants easily used the computerized tool and reported an average computer acceptability score of 10.3 +/- 1.8, indicating high acceptability. Participants required an average of 19.1 +/- 9.5 minutes to complete the pain section, 9.8 +/- 6.5 minutes for the medication section, and 4.8 +/- 2.3 minutes for the symptom section. The acceptability scores were not statistically different by demographic variables but time to complete the tool differed by racial/ethnic groups. Our findings demonstrate that terminally ill patients with cancer are willing and able to utilize computer pentablet technology to record and describe their pain and other symptoms. Visibility of pain and distress is the first step necessary for the hospice team to develop a care plan for improving control of noxious symptoms.

Author information

Author/s: Wilkie, Diana J (DJ); Kim, Young Ok (YO); Suarez, Marie L (ML); Dauw, Colleen M (CM); Stapleton, Stephen J (SJ); Gorman, Geraldine (G); Storfjell, Judith (J); Zhao, Zhongsheng (Z);

Affiliation: Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. diwilkie(-atsign-)uic.edu

Grants: R01 NR009092 (Agency:NINR NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Journal of palliative medicine (J Palliat Med), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Jul; vol 12 (issue 7) : pp 599-602

Dates: Created 2009/07/14; Completed 2009/10/20;

PMID: 19594343, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/20/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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