Most Americans may have inadequate understanding of palliative care

According to the attached article, the majority of surveyed Americans had an inadequate understanding of what is palliative care, and how it works.   Also, the frequency of how much one utilizes health care was one determinant of knowledge of palliative care.

Motolani Ogunsanya, PhD, an assistant professor at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center shares the following:
A common misconception is that palliative care is only for end-of-life care when, in fact, it can begin at any point in the disease course.  This is very important, as a lot of folks assume that palliative care is similar to hospice, which it is not.  

Palliative care serves as an adjunct to life-sustaining treatments, by addressing the side effects of treatment or symptoms of the disease.  It aims to improve the quality of life for patients and caretakers by addressing the physical, psychological, and logistical challenges associated with a disease or its treatment.

In contrast to palliative care, hospice care provides comfort care for patients who have stopped treatment and are near the end of life,

If you, or someone you know, has been offered palliative care services, please learn more about how these services can help the patient and the family dealing with a disease or illness.

Most Americans may have inadequate understanding of palliative care