The Terminal Cancer Patients\' Willingness and Its Correlating Factors toward the Artificial Provision of Nutrition and Hydration in Taiwan

Eighty-one patients with terminal cancer, admitted to a palliative care unit in Taiwan in the one-year period, had completed a questionnaire interview. Results: Fifty-five patients (67.9%) out of 81 have used ANH in recent one month. Knowledge test on the issues of ANH showed the rates of accurate answers were ranked as peripheral IV route can only provide hydration (44.4%), ANH can represent the care of families (34.6%), excessive artificial nutrition may increase the proliferation of cancer cells (26.0%), ANH can prolong life (17.3%) and can avoid of the hunger to die (3.7%).

The strongest attitude of patients toward the benefit of ANH was \"it can provide the need of nutrition and hydration\". Otherwise, the strongest attitude toward the threats of ANH was \"ANH will make their blood vessels harder\". Thirty-eight patients (46.9%) out of 81 still expressed their willingness to have ANH.

Theresults of logistic regression analysis showed that the experiences of using ANH and the belief of \"overcoming everything\" were the most significantvariables related to the willingness of patients to use ANH (OR=5.48, 95% CI=1.77-16.90; OR=0.46, 95% CI=0.27-0.77). Conclusions: Taiwanese patients still believed the effects of ANH, even in the terminal stage. Further research for more evidences and effective communication based on the concerns of patients and their families found in this study can be helpful to the decision-makings for appropriate use of ANH.