Promoting hope at the end of life: effectiveness of an intervention programme

Background: Hope is essential to life and a coping strategy for people with advanced chronic illness facing the end of life. Objectives: Test the effect of an intervention Programme to Promote Hope (PPH) on hope, quality of life (QOL) and comfort of people in palliative situation. Methods: Fifty-six (56) palliative patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 28) and a control group (n = 28). The intervention group was provided with 3 PPE sessions (1 hour) for one week, while the control group were submitted to the regular treatment. All patients were assessed with the Portuguese versions of the Herth Hope Index, McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire and Holistic Comfort Questionnaire at pre-test/post-test, at one month follow up. The dropouts resulted in n = 11 in intervention group and 12 in control group. Results: Patients experienced good levels of hope, QOL and comfort. There was no significant difference at the pre-test of outcome measures (p > 0.05). After the intervention significant differences existed between the 2 groups in Hope and QOL, but no differences in comfort levels. Follow-up hope levels decreased with significant differences between the groups (p < 0.05). Differences in QOL were not found. Comfort levels were significantly different in follow up, with higher levels of comfort experienced by the intervention group. Conclusions: A structural hope intervention programme in palliative patients in a community setting had a positive effect on improving hope, quality of life and comfort. More studies need to be developed to test the intervention on a bigger sample.