On Thursday 18 June 2026 at 14:00, Kirstine Bøndergaard defends her PhD dissertation entitled “CASEMED - CAncer patients with SEvere Mental Disorders - Quality in Pallaitive Care”. 

For terminally ill patients with severe mental disorders, the final stage of life can be marked by significant suffering. Knowledge about the quality of palliative care for patients with pre-existing severe mental disorders has so far been limited. A new PhD project from Aarhus University, Faculty of Health, conducted by physician Kirstine Bøndergaard, sheds light on the quality of palliative care for this patient group. 

Patient interviews revealed a clear ned for healthcare professionals to approach patients with openness and ciriosity, and to ask about their experiences of living with mental illness. In specific care trajectories, the quality of palliative care was generally perceived as high by healthcare professionals, although with considerable variation between trajectories. Patients with severe mental illness were less likely to complete symptom screening questionnaires and experienced longer waiting times for specialised palliative care if they had received psychiatric treatment during the last year of life. Furthermore, their overall time in specialised palliative care was shorter compared to patients without an active psychiatric pathway.

Opportunities for improvement include a strong focus on supporting patients’ relations with both relatives and healthcare professionals, promoting open and curious communication, and enhancing collaboration across sectors. Increased attention to systematic symptom screening and timely referral to specialised palliative care may further improve the quality of care.

The summary is written by the PhD student.

The defence is public and takes place in Auditorium J116-113 (Entrance J, J110), Aarhus University Hospital. Please see the press release for more information. 

Contact

PhD student Kirstine Bøndergaard
Mail: kirbod@oncology.au.dk 
Phone: +45 20182733

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