Thoughts on the end of life in patients with oxygen-dependent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A qualitative interview study

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to deepen the current knowledge of how patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and long-term oxygen treatment think about and expect end-of-life. Design: A qualitative design was used. Methods: A purposeful sample of 19 patients with oxygen-dependent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was obtained from the Swedish National Registry on Respiratory Failure (Swedevox). Data was collected with semi-structured interviews and analysed using a hermeneutic approach. Results: The analysis revealed three themes: Living in the present without a future; difficulty talking about the uncertainty; and feeling anxious about leaving family behind. Participants indicated that healthcare professionals should invite them to mutual discussions as it was easier to reject an invitation if they could not talk right then, than to initiate a discussion themselves. Start of home oxygen or a deteriorating health status may be an important time to clinically address existential and end-of-life issues.