LAMIA HASSAN ASEERY, MARWA ALI HAMZAH ALJEHANI, SAFIAH ALI HASSAN ALZAYLACE, RAWA ANBAR KHAN, ALHUSSAINY RIYADH HAMMAD A ,SHAHAD ALSUBAIE, TURKI ALI SALMAN ALSHAYEB, WSAIF RASHED ALDEHNIN, MOHAMMAD ABDULLAH KABLI, ANFAL ABDULRAHMAN AHMED ALOTHMAN, LUJAIN SAAD ALAMER
DOI: https://doi.org/Background: The integration of palliative care within primary care has become increasingly important as chronic illnesses impose substantial physical and emotional burdens on patients and caregivers. This systematic review evaluates the impact of family physician–led and multidisciplinary palliative care models on quality of life (QoL) and symptom management in patients with advanced chronic diseases.
Methods: Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 11 empirical studies published between 2010 and 2025 were analyzed. The included studies encompassed randomized controlled trials, observational, and qualitative designs examining adult populations with cancer, chronic heart failure, COPD, chronic kidney disease, and other advanced illnesses.
Results: Family physician–led and multidisciplinary palliative care significantly improved patient QoL, symptom relief, and satisfaction with care. Quantitative findings demonstrated marked improvements in pain, fatigue, and psychological distress, particularly when mobile or collaborative palliative teams supplemented primary care. Multicomponent interventions addressing emotional support, communication, and social functioning showed the greatest benefit. However, heterogeneity in outcome measures and service models limited direct comparability.
Conclusion: This review supports early integration of palliative care into family practice as a cost-effective, patient-centered approach. Training and support for primary care teams are crucial to improving consistency and accessibility of palliative services. Future research should prioritize standardized outcome metrics and explore digital and community-based care models.
