Protocolo de investigação

: plano avançado de cuidados na demência em cuidados primários : ensaio clínico randomizado por clusters

Abstract

Introduction: The Advanced Care Plan is recognized as a tool to promote the autonomy of the patient with dementia. The presence of advanced directives is associated with comfort care at the end of life, such as fewer transfers and fewer aggressive treatments. Patients in the community are at greater risk when compared to institutionalized patients. How, when and who should take the initiative to implement remains undefined. It is intended to assess whether the initiation of an Advanced Care Plan for patients with dementia in Primary Care is associated with improved quality of life and comfort at the end of life. Methodology: Randomized clinical trial by clusters through the identification of family doctors in primary health care. The intervention will consist of training program about dementia and Advanced Care Plan, identification of patients with dementia and consultation with the same purpose. The control group will maintain a normal routine. Both groups will be evaluated 6 months later and the results will be collected blindly. Quality of life will be assessed with Quality of life-AD scale and the caregiver burden with the Zarit-Burden Scale. Other outcomes will be assessed such as survival, specific medical interventions, medication costs and use of hospitalizations / emergency services.Limitations: Conditioned by the power of the sample size, adherence and lack of placebo in the control group, small time exposure. Purpose: To determine whether a training program about dementia and Advanced Care Plan for family doctors increases the quality of life at the end of life for the patient with dementia.

Date of Award	8 Jul 2021
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Alexandre Castro Caldas (Supervisor)