Caregivers’ expectations and experiences of the use of home oxygen in the palliative setting

Chronic breathlessness is a significant symptomatic problem across the community. In the setting of progressive life-limiting illnesses, even in the absence of apparent cardio-respiratory disease, both prevalence and intensity of breathlessness increase as death approaches. Home oxygen is widely prescribed for refractory breathlessness and this prescription frequently falls outside of the current funding guidelines. The majority of the research thus far has focused on the clinical management of breathlessness, however, no studies have yet been published from caregiver’s perspectives in the palliative setting. From previous studies, it is known that caregivers exert considerable pressure on health care professionals for home oxygen for their loved one. Knowing the driving forces underpinning the prescribing of home oxygen, which is an expensive and often burdensome intervention, are important if the best evidenced-based practice for refractory breathlessness is to be implemented from a patients’ and caregiver’s perspectives.

The aim of this study is to explore caregivers’ expectations and experience of the use of long term home oxygen therapy for the treatment of refractory breathlessness in the palliative setting; and to gain insight into caregiver factors that influence the prescribing of oxygen for those people who do not qualify for publically funded home oxygen.

In keeping with the aim of the project, a qualitative design will be used. Interviews will be used for data collection. This method is appropriate to gather the perspectives of caregivers who may not have had the opportunity to talk before about their lived experiences and expectations of home oxygen use. Apart from collecting demographic Information relating to illness type, age and gender, broad questions will be asked around the use of oxygen, together with the caregiver’s values and beliefs regarding this form of therapy in the setting of refractory breathlessness.

Caregivers’ expectations and experiences of the use of home oxygen in the palliative setting (30kb pdf).