TABLE 5.3 Categories of Patient/Family Outcome Measures for End-of-Life Care
| Overall quality of life | Spiritual well-being |
| • Overall experience of living as perceived by patient | • Continued meaning in life |
| • Composure despite physical distress | |
| • Readiness for death | |
| • Religious or philosophical peace | |
| Physical well-being and functioning | Patient perceptions of care |
| • Specific symptoms (description or rating; "bothersomeness") | • Overall satisfaction with care |
| • Overall comfort or distress (not just frequency or intensity of symptoms) | • Technical and physical aspects (e.g., prevention and relief of symptoms, surroundings) |
| • Functioning (given the stage of illness) | • Interpersonal aspects (e.g., sensitivity of caregivers, continuity, information provided) |
| • Consistency with patient preferences (e.g., site of care, therapies) | |
| Psychosocial well-being and functioning | Family well-being and perceptions (before and after patient's death) |
| • Cognitive status | • Emotional status of family members |
| • Emotional status | • Economic status of family |
| • Social interactions | • Adequacy of information and decisionmaking process |
| • Self-image | • Perceptions of care provided patient |
| • Sense of control and dignity | • Perceptions of care provided family including bereavement support |