Lines of Research

 

Our lines of research focus on the study of the suffering experienced by people with advanced illnesses and particularly when this extreme suffering manifests itself in a wish to hasten death.

The focus is eminently clinical. Over the years, the aim of the research has been to respond to one of the pressing questions about this phenomenon. What does this mean for the person experiencing this feeling? Why do some patients, but not all, wish to die? How frequent is it and what factors could be triggering this feeling?

Our research has been carried out from a multidimensional perspective (including physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects) and endeavours to include patients, relatives and professionals.

The group has contributed to improving:

  • The understanding and conceptualisation of the wish to hasten death.
  • The detection and assessment of the wish to hasten death in patients with advanced illness.
  • The identification and a deeper understanding of factors related to the wish to hasten death.

 

 

Palliative Care for Patients with Haematological Diseases

 

Since 2015, the group has also developed our interest in the integration and quality of palliative care for patients with onco-haematological diseases, particularly, but not exclusively, multiple myeloma (MM). The main reason for this interest is that MM continues to be an incurable disease despite therapeutic advances, with an average survival rate of around seven years. It usually presents periods of remission and relapses where the symptomology is usually very significant, whether because of the disease itself or the side effects of the treatments. All of this results in physical discomfort and unease, affecting the patient’s quality of life.

The studies by the research group in this area have led to a better understanding of the difficulties faced by the palliative care teams in attending patients with haematological neoplasms. Likewise, they have generated evidence on the benefits of early intervention in palliative care for patients with MM and a better understanding of the needs of the caregivers for people diagnosed with MM.