Integrated palliative medicine in public oncology: a 10-year review.

Objectives: The rapid ageing population of Hong Kong has a high demand on oncology and palliative care (PC) service. This study was the first territory-wide assessment in Hong Kong to assess the palliative service coverage in patients with advanced cancer in the past decade.

Methods: Cancer deaths of all 43 public hospitals of Hong Kong were screened.

Integrative Palliative Care Service Model Improved End-of-Life Care and Overall Survival of Advanced Cancer Patients in Hong Kong: A Review of Ten-Year Territory-Wide Cohort.

Integrated palliative care in oncology service has been widely implemented in Hong Kong since 2006. The study aimed to review its impact on end-of-life outcomes and overall survival (OS) of cancer patients, as well as its utilization of health care resources in the past 10 years. Cancer deaths of all 43 public hospitals of Hong Kong were screened.

The effect of horticultural therapy on the quality of life of palliative care patients.

Palliative care patients experience a variety of needs and perceive their quality of life as being only fair. This study adopted a single-group repeated-measure design to investigate the effect of horticultural therapy on the quality of life of palliative care patients using the Quality of Life Concern in End of Life Questionnaire. Significant differences in the domains of "existential distress" and "health care concern" were observed immediately postintervention and at 4 weeks postintervention, respectively.

Impact of Competing Values and Choices on Democratic Support in Hong Kong.

This paper examines the reasons for the relatively low democratic support (DS) in Hong Kong in the context of competing values and choices based on the previous Asian Barometer Surveys. In so doing, it establishes a three-factor theoretical model that includes survey attitudinal statements related to authoritarianism (AU), nationalism (NA) and economic evaluations (EC) on DS. Using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the analysis shows that the hypothesized model is a very good fit.

The meaning of hope from the perspective of Chinese advanced cancer patients in Hong Kong.

Aim: This article reports a study to examine the meaning of hope from the perspective of Chinese advanced cancer patients in Hong Kong.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of advanced cancer patients recruited from the palliative care unit of a local hospital. Data were saturated after 17 participants were interviewed.

Comparing noncancer and cancer deaths in Hong Kong: a retrospective review.

This retrospective study aimed to compare noncancer deaths with cancer deaths in the following: 1) utilization of the public health care system in the last six months of life; 2) end-of-life care received; and 3) documentation of the advance care planning (ACP) process. The following sample was recruited from the deaths in 2006 in four public hospitals for analysis: 656 noncancer deaths consisting of 239 deaths from chronic renal failure (CRF), 242 deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 175 deaths from congestive heart failure (CHF), and 183 cancer deaths. Only 1.

Health-care professionals' perspective on hope in the palliative care setting.

Hope is considered a coping strategy as well as a factor that enhances quality of life for patients with advanced cancer. Most studies on the meaning of hope are from the patients' perspective. However, the health-care professionals' view is also important since it may affect their practice.

Healthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer.

Aim: This paper is a report of an exploration of the phenomenon of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer from the perspectives of healthcare professionals.

Background: Existential distress is an important concern in patients with advanced cancer; it affects their well-being and needs to be addressed in the provision of holistic care.

Method: Focus groups were conducted from November 2008 to February 2009 with physicians, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and chaplains working in a palliative care unit that served patients with advanced cancer in Hong Kong.

Pegylated derivatives of recombinant human arginase (rhArg1) for sustained in vivo activity in cancer therapy: preparation, characterization and analysis of their pharmacodynamics in vivo and in vitro and action upon hepatocellular carcinoma cell (HCC).

Background: Protein used in medicine, e.g. interferon, are immunogenic and quickly broken down by the body.