Journal of Palliative Care & Medicine
Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer figure among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Brazil, with approximately 576,000 new cases and around 200,000 cancer related deaths in 2013. According to the Brazilian National Oncological Policy, cancer control must involve health promotion, rehabilitation and palliative care, following the National Health System (SUS) principles: Universality, Equity and Completeness of health care. Aim: Outline the profile of all cancer patients admitted to the hospitals of the National Health System (SUS) from 2008-2013 and estimate the number of cancer patients with palliative care needs in the population. Methods: The present methodology has a quantitative approach, with descriptive exploratory, retrospective and observational studies of hospitalized cancer patients. Data was collected from the hospital information system of the National Health System (SIH/SUS), obtained from the database of the Health Information Department (DATASUS) of SUS. Results: Between 2008 and 2013, there were almost 4 million hospitalizations (3,705, 024) of patients with cancer in Brazil. Among the cancer patients admitted to hospital, 923,652 (25.3%) were related to complications of the disease and/or for treatment. The hospital mortality was 198.515 (21,5%) and the average length of stay (LOS) was 8 days for patients discharged to their homes and 10 days in the group which resulted in death. Conclusion(s): Considering the existing diversities between curative and palliative care and different types and criteria of health assistance in the end-of- life we need to estimate resources and specify parameters to structure and tailor an adequate modality of assistance in palliative care.

Biography

Santos C E has a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering of Production at the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (1977). She completed her Graduation in Medicine by the College of Medical Sciences of Porto Alegre (1980), MSc in Community Health in Developing Countries-University of London (1991) and MsC in AIDS from the University of Barcelona (2001). She is a Medical Doctor at Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição/ GHC, specialist in Family and Community Medicine. She acted as technical advisor of the National STD/Aids program of the Health Ministry (March/1994 to December 2008). Since 2009 she has been working on Service of Pain and Palliative Care of Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição/ GHC. She has experience in the area of public health, with emphasis on preventive medicine, working mainly on the following themes: STDs, AIDS, community medicine, health services planning, medical education, and palliative care. She is a Member of the Palliative Care Technical Chamber of the Regional Medical Council of Rio Grande do Sul State, from July 2011. She is a PhD student in Medicine-College of Medicine, University of Porto/Portugal. Her research is on “Situation of palliative care services in Brazil: Defining and estimating palliative care population”.

Email: cledy.eliana@terra.com.br, cledy.eliana@gmail.com