O impacto da Escassez de Recursos em Cuidados Paliativos - Qual a opinião dos profissionais de saúde

Abstract

Introduction: The need for palliative care has never been greater and continues to increase rapidly, with estimates that it could double by 2060. (2) Analysis of data on available resources indicates that they are seriously scarce, due to the characteristics of the current Portuguese population, which raises questions about what the impact will be on patients of this lack of response. Goals: The overall objectives of this project were to acquire and improve skills in the care provided to patients and their families in Palliative Care (PC), understand the functioning of a Community Support Team in Palliative Care and understand the impact of the scarcity of resources in their functioning and dynamics, as well as in the care they provide, as well as understanding whether the shortage of resources has, in the opinion of health professionals, an impact on the care provided to patients and their families, to identify gaps related to the lack of resources in PC and ways to overcome them to enhance the improvement of care. The primary objective of the entire project will be to improve the care provided to patients so that they can live all the time they have left calmly, comfortably, and with adequate support for their families. Methodology: To achieve the defined objectives, the student carried out an internship within the scope of PC and a mixed study, with a qualitative and quantitative aspect, focused on understanding whether, in the opinion of health professionals who work in this area, this reality has an impact on the functioning of PC support teams and units, as well as in the care provided to patients. Discussion/ Conclusion: The results reveal a panorama of insufficient human and institutional resources, inadequate training, and planning difficulties that compromise PC quality in Portugal. Although there are ongoing efforts to expand teams and improve professional training, significant investment in infrastructure and public policies is needed to ensure that PC can be offered equitably and effectively. It is suggested that the solution goes through a strategic reorganization that includes more teams and a focus on specialized training, in addition to creating incentives that attract and retain qualified professionals in this activity area.