Subjective percepction of the passage of time as an indirect measure of suffering in oncological and non-oncological patiens

Abstract

Patient care not only entails the obligation to cure the disease, but also the alle­viation of suffering (Cassell, 1982). However, suffering is a subjective experience, which makes it difficult to assess. Bayés et al. (1997) consider the subjective perception of the passage of time in patients with advanced diseases as an indirect measure of it. Currently, there is extensive literature recommending its use as a simple evaluation tool, although there are few studies that provide scientific data on suffering valued with this instrument (Jurado et al., 2010).

The present study aims to provide evidence on the clinical usefulness of subjec­tive perception of time as an indirect measure of suffering, in the context of pa­tients with advanced disease, both oncological and non-oncological.

Results show that a prolonged experience of subjective time, in oncological and non-oncological patients in the end of life, indicates worse adaptation to disease, lower mood and higher level of discomfort.

It seems, therefore, that assessing the subjective perception of the passage of time can be useful as a screening measure, to adapt health and psychosocial care to each patient’s needs in order to help them to manage their disease. Training health professionals in its use would allow to introduce it in the usual clinical context within the health professional-patient relationship.