Knowledge, attitudes and preferences of palliative and end-of-life care among patients with cancer in mainland China: a cross-sectional study

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of patients with cancer of palliative care and their preferences regarding end-of-life care in mainland China. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting This study was conducted in a tertiary cancer hospital. Participants Two hundred forty-seven patients with cancer were recruited and consented to fill out the questionnaires. Outcome measures The participants’ knowledge and attitudes of palliative care and their preferences of end-of-life care involving place of care, place of death, truth disclosure and treatments during end-of-life were measured. Results In total, 239 questionnaires were valid. The vast majority of patients with cancer (81.2%) had never heard about palliative care or related policies, and only a few of them (5.8%) had somewhat or totally understanding of palliative care. Most participants (75.3%) had supportive attitudes towards palliative care. In terms of preferences for end-of-life care, most patients with cancer preferred to be cared for at home at the end of their life and to die at home. The majority of patients with cancer (65.7%) wanted to know their diagnosis or prognosis of the disease, regardless of the type of disease. More than half of the participants (54%) wished to improve their quality of life rather than prolong their life expectancy. More than a third of the patients with cancer preferred to entrust a family member or agent to sign medical decision agreements for them. Conclusions It is essential for healthcare providers to improve the understanding of patients with cancer of palliative care and be aware of the end-of-life care preferences of patients with cancer, in order to provide support that enables patients with cancer to receive end-of-life care that is accordant with their wishes.