Application of Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory in Palliative Care: A Review Study

Abstract

Background and Aim: Comfort is a complex and multidimensional concept that is recognized as a primary goal of healthcare. This review study was conducted to examine the application of Kolcaba’s Comfort theory (CT) in palliative care. Materials and Methods: Through a systematic search of scientific databases including CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using keywords such as "Kolcaba's Comfort Theory" "comfort," and "palliative care", we identified 163 articles published between 2015 and 2025 relevant to this study. From these, 10 articles were selected for inclusion. Results: The findings showed that Kolcaba’s CT is recognized as a more comprehensive framework for understanding and promoting comfort in palliative care. This theory, which defines comfort as the satisfaction of three types of needs (relief, ease and transcendence) in four human dimensions provides a strong foundation for planning a comprehensive nursing care. Research indicates that this theory has been effectively used in nursing diagnoses, design of complementary intervention, pain management and spiritual care. The application of this theory in palliative care, including pediatric and neonatal care, has led to improved quality of life for patients and their families. Conclusion: Given the increasing importance of palliative care and the need for a comprehensive approach in this field, Kolcaba’s CT can serve as an appropriate guide for providing higher quality and more humane care .