Palliative oncological care and social assistance

Abstract

This study leads both experts and all those interested in the field of palliative care to an immersion in caring from the point of view of technique and humanization. Consequently, the strategic role of social assistance in this context is required. The objectives of the study are to understand the relationship between social inequality and Palliative Care in Oncology with emphasis on end-of-life care and to identify the advances and perspectives of the field of Palliative Care in national territory. The research is based on bibliographical anddocumentary research using the integrative review method. An active search was carried out in the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (Lilacs) and Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System online (Medline). The following descriptors and their associations in Portuguese, Spanish and English were used to search the articles: Care, Palliative Care, Vulnerability, and SocialAssistance. The inclusion criteria defined for the selection of articles were: articles published in Portuguese, Spanish and English; and full texts that expressed the study regarding the integrative review. The analysis and synthesis of the data were described and classified aiming to gather knowledge available in the specialized literature. It is concluded that a dignified death distances itself from a picture of unfortunate death. Thus, it is a conception of care that provides access to appropriate treatment even for those who have never had a decent life avoiding abandonment. Hence, the importance of the association of social assistance with health policies is emphasized.