Comorbidity Does Not Predict Symptom Burden in Palliative Care Outpatient (730)

Abstract

1.Discuss the importance of symptom burden with regard to health services planning.2.Recognize the factors that predict symptom burden in palliative care outpatients. I. Background. Understanding symptom burden among patients who are coping with advanced illness and multimorbidity in the outpatient setting will help healthcare providers and healthcare systems identify opportunities to improve the quality of care these patients receive. II. Research Objectives. We sought to understand the symptom burden experience of palliative care outpatients, and whether comorbidity has an association with symptom burden. III. Methods. Medical records from 116 consecutive patients at the outpatient palliative care clinic at UAB were abstracted to evaluate symptom burden among palliative care outpatients. Descriptive analyses (frequencies, means, proportions) were undertaken to characterize the population with regard to demographics, primary medical condition (cancer vs. noncancer), and comorbidities. Linear regression analyses were undertaken to evaluate relationships between number of comorbidities, and symptom burden within cancer and noncancer diagnoses. IV. Results. No significant relationship between number of comorbidities and symptom burden was identified in univariate linear regression or in models adjusted for age, gender, race, disease type (cancer vs. non-cancer), and depressive symptoms (PHQ score). Depressive symptoms and race demonstrated significant relationships to symptom burden. V. Conclusion. Comorbidity score is not related to symptom burden in this outpatient palliative care population. Depression and race may be predictive of higher symptom burden among palliative care outpatients. VI. Implications for Research, Policy, or Practice. Further research is needed to characterize symptom experience of palliative care outpatients to identify opportunities for intervention. Routine assessment of symptom burden, particularly depression, which is modifiable, is indicated.