Dificuldades de comunicação e deglutição em pacientes que necessitam de cuidados paliativos

Abstract

Introduction: Palliative care has a therapeutic philosophy of humanized and interdisciplinary work, seeking to improve the quality of life of these patients. Difficulties in communication and swallowing are frequent symptoms in hospitalized patients. Objective: to verify the predominance of complaints related to communication and swallowing, concerning the quality of life of the patients. Methods: this research was carried out in a hospital, by means of a questionnaire, based on a observational, cross-sectional study of a quantitative and qualitative character in hospitalized patients who needed palliative care, the sample consisted of 35 patients. Results: It was found that 68.6% of individuals can communicate without difficulty. It was also found that 77.1% of the respondents swallowed saliva or water, without difficulties, 57.1% of patients did not present difficulties in swallowing meat or other solid foods. In relation to the interference in quality of life, the predominance of the responses was there was not interference in communication (65,7%) and feeding (62,9%). Conclusion: most of the patients did not present communication and swallowing difficulties, nor demonstrated interference in quality of life. Thus, a speech therapy preventive approach must be considered, so these encountered complications can not be aggravated or become relevant to the maintenance of human life.