Abstract

SALAZAR, Viviane et al. Desires and future plans of terminal cancer patients: future a literature review. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2016, vol.17, n.2, pp.295-310. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/16psd170214.

Terminal patients have perceived proximity to death, causing anxiety and sadness. However, this phase can enhance the ressignification of their life. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the national and international scientific production on desires and future plans of terminal patients. A scientific literature review was held in the databases MEDLINE, SocINDEX With Full Text, Pubmed, PsycINFO, VHL, Scielo and Web of Science. In the first search, the descriptors were used "future plans", "terminal patient" and "life", and, in the following, "terminally-ill", "life" and "desires for the future", also using the corresponding descriptors in English. Inclusion criteria were: articles in their entirety, from 2000 to 2014, in English and Portuguese, with patients suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases, over 12 years, and that to cover your wishes and plans for the future. Exclusion criteria were: nonterminal cases, mental illness or causing some kind of dementia and research whose focus was not the patient. Searching, were found 3608 results and eight were elected for analysis, categorizing themselves: participants, study methodology and desires/plans for the future. Most studies brought some desire or plan of patients, but two articles reported patients who didn't want to think about the future. Hopefully, with this study, to awaken the interest in understanding the subject in terminal phase, not only paying attention to the process of death, but also in life that still has, because he is endowed with desires and plans, which should be listened to and taken into consideration.

Keywords : terminal patients; wishes; plans; future; life.

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