Evidence for palliative care
It is estimated that in India, there are 10 million people with unrelieved serious health-related suffering (SHS). In a country that is home to one-sixth of the population, palliative care is accessible to fewer than 1% of the people who need it. In the absence of palliative care, treatment is disease-focused with little regard for SHS.
In a study published in The Permanente Journal, Dr Aparna Sai Ajjarapu and Dr Ann Broderick explore pain in serious health-related suffering, whether and how palliative care has helped alleviate the pain, and how pain has affected the life of patients and families. Using the narratives of six home care patients, the project demonstrates how palliative care has helped people overcome their physical and emotional suffering, and lead their lives with dignity.